Establishing Best Practices and Frameworks for Ethical Prescribing
September 5, 2023
The central focus of every healthcare practice should be the welfare of patients. Being patient-centered means effectively upholding the regulatory requirements that align the practice with industry standards. This includes appropriate prescribing practices, whether ePrescribing or using a more traditional form. It is vital for patient safety and practice compliance.
Tracking paper prescriptions can be difficult, but using tools to track and manage ePrescribing habits makes it easy to provide visibility of prescribing behavior across providers and clinics, which can alert a practice to vulnerabilities. While avoiding targeting individuals unfairly, identifying and addressing prescribing patterns that significantly deviate from the norm is necessary.
Responsible prescribing practices are a shared responsibility among employers, regulatory bodies, and practitioners themselves. By actively monitoring and addressing potential issues, those managing healthcare practitioners can contribute to a safer and more ethical healthcare landscape. Through education, collaboration, and adherence to best practices, the goal of preserving patient welfare and upholding industry standards can be achieved without casting unwarranted suspicion on dedicated healthcare providers.
The Healthcare Practice Must-Have: A Prescriber Data Management Tool
Using reporting and other measures to protect patients and strengthen the integrity of the collective healthcare system is a must. Ultimately, the commitment to ethical prescribing practices contributes to a safer, more transparent, and patient-centric environment. There are already resources in place, like state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), but actively using what is available will make the difference. This is especially true when it comes to prescribing controlled substances or narcotics.
As the opioid crisis continues, there is increasing scrutiny from the DEA on prescribing controlled substances. To ensure all EPCS prescribing remains ethical and within bounds, it will take all of us to check in and identify bad actors who could continue to perpetuate the situation negatively. According to the National Center of Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine (NCBI), the definition of inappropriate opioid analgesic prescribing [narcotics] is:
Non-prescribing, inadequate, excessive, or continued prescribing despite evidence of the lack of effective opioid analgesic treatment.
Practice managers and prescribers must stay vigilant to observe and intercept questionable prescribing behavior before it becomes problematic. With the right tools, healthcare employers can implement a comprehensive set of best practices.
- Utilize Prescription Review features that track prescriptions by date range, clinic, clinician, and prescription status, ensuring timely medication management and quality control. Addressing potential issues can be achieved by staying on top of outstanding transmission errors and refill requests, facilitating seamless communication between clinicians and pharmacies. Security and compliance play a significant role, with essential features to protect patient data and adhere to state and federal ePrescribing mandates.
- Utilizing an EPCS Audit Trail Reporting that simplifies EPCS certification and prepares clinics for audits related to controlled substance prescriptions, promoting a robust and secure system.
- An EPCS Incident Report helps identify errors and successes during the ePrescribing process, ensuring the integrity of the system.
- Promoting best practices and high-quality patient care, healthcare practitioners can use a Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Report to support Meaningful Use eligibility and certification. This encourages adherence to appropriate prescribing practices while also offering financial incentives for practitioners. Operational efficiency can be enhanced through clinical, patient, and billing information access.
- Utilizing a Billing Group Overview Report aids in financial management for Practice Management Groups.
- A Clinician Report can be employed to track software usage for prescription writing, which aids in training and support efforts, improving prescribing practices. A Clinic Group feature can streamline patient care for healthcare practices with multiple locations, ensuring consistent and standardized practices across different sites.
- Duplicate Patient Reports could play a vital role in maintaining accurate data, particularly for practices with patients receiving care at various locations.
By implementing these best practices and utilizing reporting and monitoring solutions, healthcare practitioners can foster appropriate prescribing practices among their employees.
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