On January 1, 11 more states will make electronic prescribing mandatory for controlled substances, joining 11 states that did so in 2020 or earlier. Some states will make it mandatory for all prescriptions. Most do not include exemptions for hospice.
These States Implement Electronic Prescribing Mandates on January 1, 2021:
- Arkansas (All controlled substances, non-resident pharmacy exemption)
- Delaware (All prescriptions, non-resident pharmacy exemption)
- Indiana (All controlled substances, non-resident pharmacy exemption)
- Kentucky (All controlled substances, hospice and non-resident pharmacy exemption)
- Massachusetts (All controlled substances)
- Missouri (All controlled substances, non-resident pharmacy exemption)
- Nevada (All controlled substances, non-resident pharmacy exemption)
- South Carolina (All controlled substances, hospice exemption)
- Tennessee (All controlled substances)
- Texas (All controlled substances, non-resident pharmacy exemption)
- Wyoming (All controlled substances)
Other Forthcoming Electronic Prescribing Regulations
So far, 30 US states have passed laws mandating e-prescribing for controlled medications. Three additional states – Colorado, Florida and Kansas – will implement their laws on July 1, 2021. Washington’s goes into effect September 30, 2021 while Michigan’s begins October 1. Once laws in California, Maryland and Utah go into effect in 2022, these mandates will apply to more than three quarters of the US population.
The federal government’s mandate to require e-prescribing for all controlled substances covered under Medicare Part D also goes into effect on January 1. Hospices are currently exempt from that rule, but that could change in future years, especially with a new administration in Washington.
Benefits of Electronic Prescribing
Even without a mandate, the growing ease of e-prescribing and its substantial benefits for patients and providers offer more than enough reason to finally get rid of that fax machine. These include:
Enclara’s Innovative Mobile and Desktop Technology Can Help
Enclara continues to develop technology and resources to assist clients in the adoption of e-prescribing protocols. Over 60% of Enclara Pharmacia nurses are now using our E3 MobileTM app that ties together e-prescribing, patient medication records and formulary guidance to save time and improve care. The desktop version, E3 ConnectTM, received a major update earlier this month, enabling more flexibility and better coordination between nurses and managers. With available Electronic Medical Records system integration, the benefits are even greater.
If you’re a current client looking to implement or expand e-prescribing, contact your account manager. We encourage our clients to consult their counsel to determine how e-prescribing may affect their practice. Not a member of the Enclara family? Contact us to learn how Enclara can design a solution just for you.
Additional Hospice Technology Resources:
- Check out our recent whitepaper on hospice digital transformation to learn more about how e-prescribing technology interfaces with other tools and more.
- Meet the people behind Enclara’s class leading EMR interfaces.
- Read our recent blog post, Five Ways Hospices Can Grow Census and Improve Margins in 2021.
