New Think Tank Will Research, Develop Technology To Reduce Medication Errors

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail;  Primary Care / General Practice;  Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 20 Aug 2007 - 13:00 PDT

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A coalition of physician, pharmacy, health insurer and other groups on Wednesday announced the formation of the Center for Improving Medication Management, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., that will conduct research and develop programs on the use of technology to help reduce medication errors, CQ HealthBeat reports. According to sponsors -- which include SureScripts, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the BlueCross and BlueShield Association, Humana, Intel and the Medical Group Management Association -- the center will promote best practices for the use of electronic prescribing technology that links physicians, pharmacists and patients. The center also will conduct research on the use of such technology to improve the dispensation, use and evaluation of medications.

Sponsors maintain that the broad adoption of such technology could help reduce medication errors and provide patients with more information about their treatments. Recent studies have found that only about half of U.S. patients take their medications as prescribed, according to sponsors. Bern Shen, director of strategic planning at the Intel Digital Health Group, said, "Because medication nonadherence is estimated to account for between 10% to 20% of hospital admissions and adds up to $100 billion a year to health care costs in the U.S. alone, innovations related to e-prescription and improving patients' success in taking medications as prescribed have the potential to greatly improve both clinical and economic outcomes."

Carolyn Clancy, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, added, "Medication adherence is America's new drug problem." Mark Merritt, president of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, said the formation of the center indicates that "e-prescribing is at a tipping point," adding, "The time is right for action" (CQ HealthBeat, 8/15).

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