Surescripts data shows New York leading nation in electronic prescriptions

Surescripts released new data this week showing that New York currently leads the nation in the electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS).

Surescripts provides health care information via its network. Its data showed that in the state of New York, 27 percent of the total number of prescribers are able to prescribe controlled substances digitally and 58 percent are submitting their prescriptions electronically.

Pharmacies in New York report that they receive 93 percent of their prescriptions for controlled substances through electronic forms. The reason for this rise in the numbers of prescribers filling their prescriptions online is the state's forthcoming Internet System for Tracking Over Prescribing (I-STOP) mandate that will require all prescriptions to be entered electronically by March 27.

EPCS activity in New York by the end of 2015 was five times higher than the national average of 5.8 percent. This is up from two percent in 2014. The huge jump was brought about because of the development and implementation of electronic health record software that 96 percent of New York prescribers put into use. Every state in the U.S. had legalized Schedule II-V, an electronic prescribing program for controlled substances, by September of 2015.