Advisors Suggest E-Script Standard

HDM Breaking News, January 4, 2006

The government soon may add a new electronic prescribing standard to a handful of "foundation," or initial standards, it has adopted to support the Medicare Part D drug benefit program.

One of the foundation standards is SCRIPT 5.0 from the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs. The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics is recommending that a recently approved enhanced standard, SCRIPT 8.1, also be adopted. NCVHS is an advisory body to the Department of Health and Human Services.

"This newer version of the SCRIPT standard includes all functions of the foundation standard plus the ability to transmit medication history information," according to a Dec. 20 committee letter to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt. "Furthermore, it provides additional clarification for use of the standard. We also learned that the industry generally has not implemented SCRIPT 5.0 and actually is implementing SCRIPT 8.1 to gain its benefits."

The committee further recommends the secretary adopt the new version without using the formal rulemaking and public comment process, a waiver that is permitted under the final rule that set foundation e-prescribing standards. Full text of the letter to Leavitt is available at ncvhs.hhs.gov.

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