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All NY prescriptions to be electronic by end of the month – Metro US

All NY prescriptions to be electronic by end of the month

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Zach Hoeken/Flickr

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that soon all prescriptions written in the state will be transmitted electronically from the doctor to the pharmacy.

Beginning March 27, called-in or handwritten prescriptions will no longer be allowed in New York as the state expands components of its I-STOP initiative designed to curb medication abuse, the governor’s office said.

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“This reform will improve patient safety, reduce the number of fraudulent or stolen prescriptions and help combat prescription drug abuse across New York,” Cuomo said in a statement.

In order to comparison shop for the best price, patients can research different pharmacies before asking their doctor to send the prescription to their preferred one, the governor’s office stated.

More than 60,000 doctors already e-prescribe, and the state’s Department of Health will continue to allow the registration of certified software to enable e-prescribing.

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“Digital securities such as e-prescribing and prescription monitoring promote safe and efficient medication administration that both providers and their patients will appreciate,” New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker was quoted in the release. “These policies demonstrate that DOH’s priority is always the safety and well-being of patients.”