(1) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the implementation of electronic prescribing by health care practitioners, health care facilities, and pharmacies in order to prevent prescription drug abuse, improve patient safety, and reduce unnecessary prescriptions. To that end, it is the intent of the Legislature to create a clearinghouse of information on electronic prescribing to convey the process and advantages of electronic prescribing; to provide information regarding the availability of electronic prescribing products, including no-cost or low-cost products; and to regularly convene stakeholders to assess and accelerate the implementation of electronic prescribing.
(2) As used in this section, the term:(a) “Electronic prescribing” means, at a minimum, the electronic review of the patient’s medication history, the electronic generation of the patient’s prescription, and the electronic transmission of the patient’s prescription to a pharmacy.
(b) “Health care practitioner” means an individual authorized by law to prescribe drugs.
(3) The agency shall work in collaboration with private sector electronic prescribing initiatives and relevant stakeholders to create a clearinghouse of information on electronic prescribing for health care practitioners, health care facilities, and pharmacies. These stakeholders shall include organizations that represent health care practitioners, organizations that represent health care facilities, organizations that represent pharmacies, organizations that operate electronic prescribing networks, organizations that create electronic prescribing products, and regional health information organizations. Specifically, the agency shall:(a) Provide on its website:1. Information regarding the process of electronic prescribing and the availability of electronic prescribing products, including no-cost or low-cost products;
2. Information regarding the advantages of electronic prescribing, including using medication history data to prevent drug interactions, prevent allergic reactions, and deter doctor and pharmacy shopping for controlled substances;
3. Links to federal and private sector websites that provide guidance on selecting an appropriate electronic prescribing product; and
4. Links to state, federal, and private sector incentive programs for the implementation of electronic prescribing.
(b) Convene quarterly meetings of the stakeholders to assess and accelerate the implementation of electronic prescribing.
(4) Pursuant to s. 408.061, the agency shall monitor the implementation of electronic prescribing by health care practitioners, health care facilities, and pharmacies. The agency shall annually publish a report on the progress of implementation of electronic prescribing on its Internet website. Information reported pursuant to this subsection shall include federal and private sector electronic prescribing initiatives and, to the extent that data is readily available from organizations that operate electronic prescribing networks, the number of health care practitioners using electronic prescribing and the number of prescriptions electronically transmitted. 