Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
a little dated than most articles i receive from this source. interesting 
E-Prescribing: Introduction
On June 1, 2010, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) revised the Code of Federal Regulations to permit prescribers to write prescriptions for schedule II-V controlled substances electronically. These regulatory changes also affect institutional practitioners and pharmacists, but this discussion will be limited to the legal requirements that pertain to individual prescribers.[1] Only practitioners authorized to prescribe controlled substances can be granted authority to issue e-prescriptions, and it has to be ensured that unauthorized individuals do not gain access to the electronic system for generating or altering prescriptions for illicit purposes. Given this context, these new regulations were designed principally to:
Ensure an adequate supply of controlled substances for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial purposes, and to deter the diversion of controlled substances for illegal purposes.[1]
Requirements for E-Prescribing
Practitioners must fulfill a number of conditions before being permitted to issue e-prescriptions for controlled substances. In addition to using an electronic application that complies with regulatory requirements, identity proofing (with government-issued photographic identification) is mandated. To sign an e-prescription, practitioners must obtain a 2-factor authentication credential, selected from 3 potential factors: (1) password or response to a challenging question; (2) biometric data such as a fingerprint or iris scan; or (3) hard token, such as a cryptographic key. Computer-based access controls must be implemented, including the use of 2 people to sign an e-prescription -- one who verifies that the practitioner is authorized to sign, and the authorized signer who uses the 2-factor authentication credential.
Before signing, the prescribing practitioner must indicate which controlled substance prescriptions are ready to be signed for a single patient and review and approve the prescription information (eg, date of issuance, patient's full name, drug name, dosage strength and form of medication, quantity prescribed, etc.). When this is done, the practitioner will be prompted to begin the 2-factor authentication protocol. Practitioners will see a prescription review screen containing a statement that the use of the 2-factor credential is the legal equivalent of a signature[2]. Once signed, the prescription is ready for transmission to the pharmacy.
This is a necessarily oversimplified synthesis of the fundamental regulatory provisions governing e-prescribing, to enhance the basic awareness of the requirements and expectations for prescribing practitioners. A full description of regulatory intricacies is found in the http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2010/fr0331.pdf, and the DEA offers answers to common questions about essential elements of these requirements on their Web page, Office of Diversion Control.
Will Clinicians Embrace It?
Overall, the new regulatory requirements reinforce practitioners' responsibilities for the security of their credentialing information and the transmission system and procedures, including the rapid reporting of identified breaches. Practitioners have the same liability when issuing e-prescriptions as they do for paper or verbal prescriptions and are accountable when a prescription does not conform to the law in all essential respects.
finished here
E-Prescribing: Introduction
On June 1, 2010, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) revised the Code of Federal Regulations to permit prescribers to write prescriptions for schedule II-V controlled substances electronically. These regulatory changes also affect institutional practitioners and pharmacists, but this discussion will be limited to the legal requirements that pertain to individual prescribers.[1] Only practitioners authorized to prescribe controlled substances can be granted authority to issue e-prescriptions, and it has to be ensured that unauthorized individuals do not gain access to the electronic system for generating or altering prescriptions for illicit purposes. Given this context, these new regulations were designed principally to:
Ensure an adequate supply of controlled substances for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial purposes, and to deter the diversion of controlled substances for illegal purposes.[1]
Requirements for E-Prescribing
Practitioners must fulfill a number of conditions before being permitted to issue e-prescriptions for controlled substances. In addition to using an electronic application that complies with regulatory requirements, identity proofing (with government-issued photographic identification) is mandated. To sign an e-prescription, practitioners must obtain a 2-factor authentication credential, selected from 3 potential factors: (1) password or response to a challenging question; (2) biometric data such as a fingerprint or iris scan; or (3) hard token, such as a cryptographic key. Computer-based access controls must be implemented, including the use of 2 people to sign an e-prescription -- one who verifies that the practitioner is authorized to sign, and the authorized signer who uses the 2-factor authentication credential.
Before signing, the prescribing practitioner must indicate which controlled substance prescriptions are ready to be signed for a single patient and review and approve the prescription information (eg, date of issuance, patient's full name, drug name, dosage strength and form of medication, quantity prescribed, etc.). When this is done, the practitioner will be prompted to begin the 2-factor authentication protocol. Practitioners will see a prescription review screen containing a statement that the use of the 2-factor credential is the legal equivalent of a signature[2]. Once signed, the prescription is ready for transmission to the pharmacy.
This is a necessarily oversimplified synthesis of the fundamental regulatory provisions governing e-prescribing, to enhance the basic awareness of the requirements and expectations for prescribing practitioners. A full description of regulatory intricacies is found in the http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2010/fr0331.pdf, and the DEA offers answers to common questions about essential elements of these requirements on their Web page, Office of Diversion Control.
Will Clinicians Embrace It?
Overall, the new regulatory requirements reinforce practitioners' responsibilities for the security of their credentialing information and the transmission system and procedures, including the rapid reporting of identified breaches. Practitioners have the same liability when issuing e-prescriptions as they do for paper or verbal prescriptions and are accountable when a prescription does not conform to the law in all essential respects.
finished here
