Rx Coupons Come to EHRs

Physicians Interactive, an eDetailing and eSampling firm that electronically connects pharmaceutical and other life sciences companies to physicians for marketing and education purposes, will integrate its eCoupon service into the electronic health records of Greenway Medical Technologies.

The integration will enable physicians when prescribing a medication to access and give to the patient a coupon either discounting the price or covering the co-pay of the prescription. Such coupons can improve the medication adherence rate, according to the vendors. Increased first-fill adherence of a medication also can improve adherence rates in the future.

Surescripts, operator of a national electronic prescribing network, reports that the number of physicians electronically prescribing has tripled in the past two years. Physicians Interactive, with a network of 900,000 health care professionals, also has partnerships for eCoupons or other services with Allscripts and McKesson, and expects to announce other vendor partnerships this year.