The purpose of this toolset is to provide your practice with the knowledge and resources to implement e-prescribing successfully. The toolset is designed for use by a diverse range of provider organizations, from small, independent offices to large medical groups.
The toolset also includes specific tools to support planning and decisionmaking, such as surveys to determine whether your organization is ready for e-prescribing, worksheets for planning the implementation and monitoring progress, and templates for communicating the launch to patients.
Download Toolset and Tools (ZIP, 2.16 MB)
Toolset
This toolset consists of 11 chapters that provide guidance on topics ranging from determining what type of system to implement and selecting a vendor to planning the implementation process, launching the system, and determining if it is meeting the organization's needs (PDF, 1.18 MB) .
Tools
1. Tool 1.1 E-Prescribing Team Roster (DOCX, 33 KB)
This tool provides a roster that will help you identify the people who will comprise your implementation team. The roster is provided as a web page file, in hypertext markup language (HTML), which you can edit by copying the text from a web browser into your favorite document editor, such as Microsoft Word or Google Documents.
2. Tool 3.1 Goals Worksheet and Goals Poster (PPTX, 63 KB)
This tool provides a worksheet for each stage of the goal-setting process and a poster to communicate your goals to everyone in the practice. The worksheet is provided as a web page, which you can copy and paste into your favorite document editor. When you've finished the worksheet, paste your final goals into the poster template, which is provided as an 11x17-inch PowerPoint slide that you can take to a print shop and have further enlarged.
3. Tool 4.1 HIT Readiness Assessment Instrument (XLSX, 49 KB)
This tool provides a Readiness Assessment spreadsheet. Its questions can be answered in a group meeting, or it can be handed out and completed by individuals. The last page of the spreadsheet automatically tallies the answers that have been entered for each question. Persons using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in these files. For assistance, please contact Corey Mackison.
4. Tool 5.1 Sample Workflow Diagrams (PDF, 522 KB)
This tool provides example diagrams that you can copy to create your own prescription management workflows. Visio is a popular software system used to create such diagrams, but hand-drawn diagrams are equally effective.
5. Tool 5.2 Sample Task Table
This tool is a set of three example workflow analysis tables, each representing a distinct prescription-related process:
- Renewal handling without e-prescribing and without staff delegation (via protocols or standing orders)
- Renewal handling without e-prescribing, but with staff delegation
- Renewal handling with e-prescribing
These examples are only meant to get you started. You can modify them by copying the content and pasting it into a spreadsheet or document editor program. Or you can start from scratch to document your unique work process.
6. Tool 6.1 E-Prescribing Vendor Assessment Tool (XLS, 105 KB)
This tool provides an e-prescribing vendor assessment tool developed by Community Care of North Carolina and Point-of-Care Partners, LLC. The tool is a spreadsheet that enables you to rank a broad variety of e-prescribing functionalities and vendor characteristics in terms of their importance to your office. The tool then helps you compare different vendors’ products for your office's unique needs and priorities. Persons using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in these files. For assistance, please contact Corey Mackison.
7. Tool 7.1 Timeline for Stand-Alone E-Prescribing Implementation
The Health Alliance Plan of Michigan has created a timeline that their team uses to monitor the progress of each practice throughout the stand-alone e-prescribing system implementation process. This form helps them to identify where the process may be lagging and helps guide their use of resources.
8. Tool 7.2 Oregon Community Health Information Network EMR Implementation and Planning Tool
The Oregon Community Health Information Network (OCHIN) has created a guide that identifies the major and minor tasks and those responsible by month for the six months prior to implementation. It also identifies tasks for the final week prior to go-live as well as post-go-live tasks.
9. Tool 7.3 Timeline for EHR Transition
Integrated Healthcare Associates (IHA) of Michigan has also developed a simplified timeline for EHR implementation at their independent physician association-owned offices.
10. Tool 7.4 Outreach Letter Announcing E-Prescribing Plans to Pharmacies (DOCX, 19 KB)
This tool provides a letter template to let your most important pharmacies (e.g., the top 20 pharmacies that your patients use) know that you are going live with e-prescribing. By giving the pharmacies advance notice, they can make any necessary arrangements to have their system accept your e-prescriptions and to send you renewal requests. They can also prepare their staff to make a smoother transition. You can edit the letter by copying and pasting the content into your favorite document editor.
11. Tool 9.1 Computer Skills Assessment (DOCX, 25 KB)
This tool is a survey for assessing basic computer skills. Use the results of this assessment to identify members of your team who may need additional assistance during implementation. Rather than adding up a score, you may want to scan the responses for individuals who rated themselves "Not at all confident" for a large number of skills or for skills that will be key for their job role. Some of the skills in the survey might indicate specific areas for remediation; others would be more general indicators of poor computer skills.
12. Tool 10.1 Flyer for Patients (English, Large-print, and Spanish Versions)
This tool is a colorful flyer for patients that announces your e-prescribing launch and gives tips for dealing with e-prescriptions, such as expecting a transmission delay of up to 20 minutes. A large-print version is provided for elderly patients (2 pages) and Spanish translations are provided for both.
- English (PDF, 495 KB)
- English - Large-print (PDF, 446 KB)
- Español (PDF, 471 KB)
- Español - Impresión en tamaño grande (PDF, 426 KB)
13. Tool 10.2 "Prescription Pad" Handout for Patients (DOC, 17 KB)
This tool is a prescription-sized handout that you can give to patients during the visit if they have received an electronic prescription. One side reminds the patient to pick up his or her medication(s) and the other side tells the pharmacist that the patient received an e-prescription and how to find the prescription in their system if they're not familiar with e-prescribing. The document contains Spanish translations on additional pages so that you can mix and match Spanish and English for either patients or pharmacies.