Lower Medication Costs, Better Patient Outcomes with PDR Integration
In the ChartMaker 2016 July software update (v6.1.6), there is an enhancement to prescribing that results from a partnership with PDR, the company that created the ubiquitous Physicians’ Desk Reference found on many physician’s desks for over 60 years. In addition to providing information about medications to the prescriber, this feature is designed to drive patient adherence to the prescribed regimen by way of financial assistance for prescriptions and medication guidance. And it does it all without impeding workflow. No extra clicks, no additional typing.
ScriptGuide and eCopay Advantage (Financial Assistance and Patient Educational Materials)
At the time of prescribing, and based on the medication chosen by the prescriber, ChartMaker Clinical will determine if the patient is eligible for either co-pay assistance or a medication-specific coupon that can be used at the patient’s preferred pharmacy. This determination happens behind the scenes and does not interfere in any way with the prescribing workflow. If the patient is eligible, the system will automatically print one or two pages containing the coupon, and/or co-pay assistance information. It will also include educational information about the medication to help drive adherence to the prescribed regimen and ultimately, better outcomes.
After upgrading to the new version of ChartMaker, the system user will be prompted one time to specify the default printer for this specific feature. This allows each practice to determine the best option for their existing workflow such as printing the information at the front desk for patient check-out, or in the exam room. The default printer can be changed in ChartMaker Clinical’s Preferences window.
PhysicianCare (Decision Support Information)
Also at the time of prescribing, information about the medication selected will be passively presented to the prescriber. This information appears at the bottom of the prescribing window and can clicked on by the prescriber to read more information.
Feature Availability
Currently, PDR’s ScriptGuide, eCopay, and PhysicianCare programs are available for a subset of medications. STI estimates this to be about 8.5% of all prescriptions transmitted electronically by ChartMaker Clinical users. This percentage will vary by physician and specialty. When a medication is not among those in the ScriptGuide, eCopay, or PhysicianCare programs, no PhysicianCare information will be presented on the prescribing screens (pictured below), nor will any eCopay or ScriptGuide information be printed.
