Eclipsys Corporation and DrFirst Physician Honored with “E-Prescriber of the Year” Award at the 4^th Annual Surescripts Safe-Rx Ceremony

ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DrFirst™ congratulates Dr. Narinder Batra, an Eclipsys® Practice Solutions client (since the acquisition of MediNotes in October 2008) using the DrFirst Rcopia Engine through MediNotes e EMR, for receiving the “E-prescriber of the Year” award at the 4^th annual Safe-Rx awards ceremony by Surescripts. Dr. Batra is one of six physicians nationwide who were honored with the award. The Safe-Rx awards were created to raise awareness of eprescribing as a means of enhancing patient safety by providing a more secure, accurate, and informed prescribing process.

“The Surescripts Safe-Rx awards, with their focus on eprescribing, reinforce the importance of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Physicians Act of 2008 (MIPPA) and other healthcare initiatives to drive mainstream physician adoption of eprescribing,” said Peter N. Kaufman, MD, Chief Medical Officer for DrFirst. “We applaud Dr. Batra for the leadership he has shown through the use of electronic prescribing and EMR in his practice.”

“We congratulate Dr. Batra and the other Safe-Rx award winners for increasing the use of eprescribing and for the benefit it has brought to safety and quality of patient care in communities throughout their states,” said Harry Totonis, president and CEO of Surescripts.

Through deep integration of eprescribing services, DrFirst provides true EDI eprescribing technology for over 65 electronic medical record, practice management, and hospital information system vendors. Through the DrFirst services, physicians have real-time access to health plan formulary and plan design information, as well as medication history, during the prescribing process. To date, 17 DrFirst partners have achieved CCHIT EHR certification, which includes an eprescribing component.

“DrFirst believes that it is critical to offer physicians a flexible migration path from standalone eprescribing to more comprehensive clinical systems without the data migration concerns that typically accompany such a transition,” said G. Cameron Deemer, president of DrFirst. “This award demonstrates that we are clearly meeting an important market need with our ‘Open Borders’ EMR partner services. The burden of compliance with governmental and certification authority requirements is heavy, and companies often have difficulty staying current. By reducing their time to market and allowing them to focus on their core business, more and more EMR vendors are now able to provide their physicians with access to award-winning eprescribing technology.”

About DrFirst:
DrFirst is a Surescripts Gold Solution Provider with its award-winning, Rcopia electronic prescription management system. Founded in 2000, DrFirst creates innovative services targeted to physicians in both ambulatory and acute care environments. DrFirst solutions are widely integrated with practice management and electronic medical records software through its “Open Borders” program, and the company counts among its client base not only physician practices, but major health plans, health systems, and EMR vendors. DrFirst partners with Surescripts for pharmacy connectivity, health plan information, and patient medication history. More information about DrFirst can be found at www.drfirst.com.

About Surescripts
Surescripts is the result of a 2008 merger between the country’s two leading health information networks: RxHub and Surescripts. Surescripts gives healthcare providers secure, electronic access to prescription and health information that can save their patients’ lives, improve efficiency and reduce the cost of healthcare for all. Available during emergencies or routine care, the Surescripts network connects prescribers in all 50 states through their choice of eprescribing software to the nation’s leading payers, chain pharmacies and independent pharmacies. Through its work in standards, certification, education and collaboration at the national, regional and state levels, Surescripts and its network have become the backbone that facilitates eprescribing. For more information, go to www.surescripts.com.

About Eclipsys
Eclipsys is a leading provider of advanced integrated clinical, revenue cycle and performance management software, clinical content and professional services that help healthcare organizations improve clinical, financial and operational outcomes. For more information, see www.eclipsys.com or email info@eclipsys.com.

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