The Allscripts system allows doctors to dispense common drugs right in the office. MDs will pay a monthly fee to be hooked into an e-Rx system, but that's only part of the money picture. It's hoped the pharmaceutical industry will pay e-prescription companies for data about how their drugs are used and by whom. They'll also pay for ad space on those tiny pocket prescriber screens. Pharmacies also foresee savings, once staff no longer have to call doctors to clarify semi-legible prescriptions and haggle with insurers.
Security is a question.
Companies and regulators are looking for ways to ensure a prescription comes from a doctor, not someone else who pocketed the device, now protected only by a password. Benedict's board recently okayed several systems for use in Ohio, but questions remain. Pocket prescribers may eventually require a physician's thumb print or retinal scan for activation. Most systems encrypt the patient's identity while the prescription is sent over the Internet. Authenticity, that's why.