UNC Health Care Launches Direct e-Prescribing Capability

UNC physicians can access system anytime and anywhere; Send patient prescriptions to retail pharmacies across United States

The University of North Carolina Health Care System last week unveiled a new direct e-prescribing function in its Web-based clinical information system, WebCIS, after a four-month pilot testing period. UNC Health Care is the first medical center in the Southeast to implement e-prescribing from electronic medical records - directly from large group medical practices to retail pharmacies across the United States.

Physicians can view a patient's complete drug profile, his/her allergies and past drug reactions and receive automated updates to prescription lists. With the new direct e-prescribing capability, physicians can change medications and order refills, while immediately receiving confirmation from the patient's preferred pharmacy. By the time a patient leaves the office, his/her prescription has already been sent to the pharmacy and will be ready upon arrival. The extensive pharmacy network ensures that patients in need of prescriptions while outside of North Carolina can benefit from the convenience of this service.

UNC Health Care System CEO Dr William L. Roper says WebCIS and its ground-breaking functionality further elevates the quality of care at UNC Hospitals. "This system promotes efficiency, reduces errors and enables UNC Health Care to remain on the forefront of providing seamless patient care," Roper said.

WebCIS was developed in-house at UNC with ongoing physician and staff input on design and function. The application has been 100 percent Web-based since 2001, allowing staff access anytime from anywhere. The system is fully secured ensuring compliance with patient privacy laws and regulations.

Since XXXX, care for all patients in the UNC Health Care System has been managed with the use of a detailed electronic medical record.