Medici goes on-line
Asolva, a software company, has introduced Medici Web, an on-line solution for clinical medication monitoring and intervention. The new version complements an existing version for desktop computers and Tablet PCs. While most medical record systems are developed for physicians, Medici was designed for clinical pharmacists. Pharmacists can access critical patient information such as allergies, lab results, and medication profiles. The system interfaces with the hospital's medical record system, so that pharmacists have access to clinical data. To ensure patient safety, Medici allows pharmacists to input notes and status flags that are shared by other pharmacists, thereby enabling them to monitor compliance and progress by documenting interventions and medication management. The system has already been adopted by Kaiser Permanente.

Online comparison tool
First there was Expedia for travel, then pricegrabber.com for everything else, and now RxPop.com is offering comparison shopping for on-line prescription drug prices. RxPop.com currently has close to 50 online pharmacies for its subscription-based service. The company hopes to expand its network to include 150 Internet pharmacies. The site includes domestic as well as international pharmacies and claims to include pharmacies licensed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, and the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, among others.

Pressure mounts on pushing e-prescriptions
A growing number of organizations and companies are calling for the increased use of e-prescriptions in government programs. The American Health Information Community, an advisory panel convened by Department of Health & Human Services secretary Michael Leavitt, is urging the secretary to mandate the use of e-prescriptions in the Medicare program, while the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association issued a statement insisting that requiring physicians to e-prescribe in Medicare could "save billions and prevent up to 1.9 million medication errors over the next decade." Consumers Union, publisher of Consumers Report, urged Sens. John Kerry (D, Mass.), John Ensign (R, Nev.), and Debbie Stabenow (D, Mich.) to require e-prescribing in Medicare legislation they are drafting. The legislation is expected to be finalized soon and may be part of a larger Medicare bill to be considered before the end of 2007. In addition, Sage Software signed a petition that urged the DEA to drop its restrictions on e-prescribing controlled substances.

Electronic ordering system for controlled substances
PharMEDium Services is rolling out an electronic 222 controlled substance ordering system for its entire line of Schedule II Controlled Substances. The Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control requires a form 222 for all orders of Schedule II Controlled Substances. DEA processes about 5.5 million 222 forms yearly. DEA estimates that the average electronic 222 form costs $6 to process, as opposed to $39 for a paper form. The company will initially offer a beta-version of the electronic ordering system before offering it more completely. The product is for online ordering of Schedule II ingredients by pharmacies and not related to prescriptions.

Telephonic medication monitoring
InforMedix Holdings has announced that it will launch Med-ePhone a new medication adherence solution. Med-ePhone is expected to be less expensive than the Med-eMonitor solution to remind users to take their medications regularly. The device will also record and monitor patient medication adherence and health status over mobile phones and landlines. Med-ePhone will receive up to three daily reminders that will include prompts to provide answers to simple health status questions. InforMedix also expects that the Med-ePhone system will provide healthcare professionals with automated real-time alerts when patients miss their medications or their health declines.