NCPDP Script Standard Adopted As Core Requirement For ePrescribing In Meaningful Use
The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) recently acknowledges and applauds the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) on its Final Rules announcement on "meaningful use" of an Electronic Health Record (EHR), including the adoption of NCPDP SCRIPT Standard for the secure, electronic transmission of prescriptions and prescription-related information.
The Final Rule on Standards to meet Meaningful Use announced the NCPDP SCRIPT Standard Implementation Guide Version 8, Release 1 (Version 8.1) October 2005 or NCPDP SCRIPT Standard, Implementation Guide, Version 10.6 can be used. This allows flexibility for those prescribers - eligible practitioners, hospitals, provider associations, state and federal governments, software vendors and more - that already are using the SCRIPT Standard as well as flexibility for implementers.
"The Final Rules will help clinicians achieve better and more effective patient care," stated Lee Ann Stember, President of NCPDP. "We are very pleased with the Final Rule as it relates to ePrescribing and using the NCPDP SCRIPT Standard to achieve Meaningful Use."
The NCPDP SCRIPT Standard was first published in 1997 and has been updated annually based on the business needs identified by the industry. SCRIPT is a standard created to facilitate the transfer of prescription data between pharmacies, prescribers, intermediaries, and payers. This standard allows for quick and accurate communication between the prescriber, pharmacist, and payer to provide information for the prescriber and pharmacist to make informed decisions with the patient while reducing the potential for medication error.
The Standards and Certification Criteria Final Rule can be accessed at: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-17210_PI.pdf
About NCPDP
Founded in 1977, NCPDP is a not-for-profit, ANSI-accredited, Standards Development Organization with over 1500 members representing virtually every sector of the pharmacy services industry. Our diverse membership provides leadership and healthcare business solutions through education and standards, created using the consensus building process. NCPDP has been named in federal legislation, including HIPAA and the MMA. NCPDP members have created standards such as the Telecommunication Standard and Batch Standard, the SCRIPT Standard for e-Prescribing, the Manufacturers Rebate Standard and more to improve communication within the pharmacy industry. Our data services include the NCPDP Provider Identification Number, a unique identifier of over 75,000 pharmacies, and HCIdea, "The Prescriber Identity Solution." For more information visit www.ncpdp.org.
SOURCE: National Council for Prescription Drug Programs