Pharmacy Management Software Leader Among First to Achieve Compliance With 2020 SCRIPT Standard

OAK BROOK, Ill., Oct. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- BestRx is the first retail pharmacy-supporting pharmacy management system to achieve compliance with the newest electronic prescribing standards. The newest "SCRIPT" standard is mandatory for doctors, pharmacies and insurance companies, and it goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020 — creating pressure for technology companies to get all providers ready for this format by the close of 2019.

While e-prescribing, which allows doctors to send scripts electronically, has been in place for roughly a decade and a half, standards are regularly updated to facilitate information transfer and public safety. Exchanging data electronically requires that data be in specific formats to be successfully sent and received. The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs works together with state and federal government to set and update the standards for e-prescribing.

Surescripts, an Arlington, Virginia-based health information network, routes most of the nation's electronic prescriptions between prescribers and pharmacists and is leading the industry's transition to the new standard. Today, BestRx customers are able to send and receive e-prescribing messages utilizing the latest SCRIPT standard.

In 2018, Surescripts introduced an early-adopter program for industry leaders who wanted to be ahead of the curve with compliance. "As we move toward the new NCPDP SCRIPT standard, we will realize the full potential of electronic prescribing by improving efficiency, accuracy and patient safety," said Tara Dragert, vice president of Product Innovation, Surescripts. "Surescripts began the complex, industry-wide transition to the new standard nearly three years ago, partnering with BestRx and other early adopters to develop new technologies, business processes and implementation guides. Together, we are improving health care for patients and the people who care for them."

BestRx completed certification in March 2019, and its system went live with the new standard in July, making it the first SCRIPT-compliant pharmacy management system that supports retail pharmacies and the first system to achieve 1 million SCRIPT-compliant transactions. BestRx customers are able to immediately take advantage of the new enhancements available with the new SCRIPT standard.

The latest SCRIPT standard for e-prescribing features new functionality, including:

• The ability to send list of ingredients for compound prescriptions.
• Follow-up requests to refill requests when the prescriber does not respond in a timely manner.
• The ability to communicate patient allergies more clearly.
• The ability to communicate that a patient has requested prescription delivery.
• Grouping prescriptions for a patient so that the pharmacy knows to fill the prescriptions together at once.
• The ability to communicate an "urgent indicator" for a particular prescription.
• Increased character limit for prescription directions, from 140 to 1,000, allowing for more detailed instructions for complicated prescriptions.
• The ability for a pharmacy to request a new prescription (versus a refill).
• The ability for a pharmacy to transfer a prescription from one pharmacy to another electronically.

"BestRx has been at the forefront of e-prescribing technologies since it's inception. We are thrilled to continue that tradition as the pharmacy industry heads into the next chapter with the new SCRIPT standard," said BestRx President, Hemal Desai. "Electronic prescribing connects pharmacies and prescribers in ways that were unimaginable twenty years ago and e-prescribing technology has helped to improve prescription accuracy, patient safety, and overall efficiency in the pharmacy world. By remaining at the forefront with new technologies and standards, BestRx stays true to our commitment to empower our pharmacy clients to serve their patients the best way possible."

About BestRx
BestRx is a leader in innovative software solutions that help independent community pharmacies succeed. For two generations, BestRx has studied the unique needs of independent pharmacies to create tools that benefit pharmacy owners, patients and communities. BestRx's software supports billing, automation and compliance to help pharmacies succeed — for the health of patients and the development of the community. For more information, visit BestRx.com.

SOURCE BestRx Pharmacy Software