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AAH pushes e-prescribing

AAH pushes e-prescribing ‘It’s time for paper to go,’ says Kim Brummett

WASHINGTON - AAHomecare's goal for a new project evaluating e-prescribing platforms isn't to provide a Good Housekeeping seal of approval, per se, but to raise the level of awareness and comfort surrounding the technology, says Kim Brummett.

“Providers can be leery, so we're trying to help drive adoption,” said Brummett, vice president of regulatory affairs, who is spearheading the project for the association. “I hope we succeed. It's time for paper to go.”

As part of the project, Brummett and other members of AAHomecare's Regulatory Council have been on calls with senior leadership from Stratice Healthcare, Parachute Health, GoScripts and DMEhub to familiarize themselves with each company's platform.

While similar, the four platforms are different enough in form and function that having AAHomecare step in to “vet” them was necessary, Brummett says.

“At the end of the day, I'm sure we'll be comfortable with all the platforms,” she said. “But having us go through this process and making sure all the platforms meet compliance requirements, for example, will help. Then it's up to the supplier to choose which one to adopt.”

The project also aims to address several challenges to adopting e-prescribing platforms, like getting buy-in from prescribers and/or having prescribers that use multiple platforms, Brummett says.

“A supplier may say, 'I choose this one,' but then find their prescribers use more than one platform,” she said. “It can get confusing.”

Joining AAHomecare in pushing providers toward e-prescribing: CMS, says Wayne van Halem, president of The van Halem Group, who's involved in the project. The agency is exploring an increasing number of e-templates, most recently for RADs, PAPs and vents.

“They understand that DME claims are what's clogging up the appeals system, and more than ever before they're listening to the provider community and coming up with ways to make the process easier,” he said. “Technology is a big part of that.”

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