The number of office-based U.S. health care professionals who use electronic prescribing systems has increased significantly in recent years, according to data released Tuesday by electronic prescribing network operator Surescripts, Reuters reports.
Charting E-Prescription Adoption
According to Surescripts, about 200,000 office-based prescribers -- or about one-third of office-based health care workers -- currently use e-prescribing systems. The latest figure is up from 156,000 e-prescribers at the end of 2009 and 74,000 at the end of 2008.
Surescripts noted that 47 states more than doubled their use of e-prescribing last year.
Massachusetts has the highest rate of e-prescription use, at 57%.
Federal Incentives Providing Impetus
The recent increase in e-prescribing could stem from federal incentives designed to reward health care providers who demonstrate "meaningful use" of electronic health records, Reuters reports.
The incentives, which were included in the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, are expected to encourage even more health care providers to switch to e-prescribing systems over the coming years (Steenhuysen, Reuters, 9/21).