Surescripts Reports Boost in Medication History Health IT Use

In 2021, Surescripts saw a 53 percent increase in the use of its medication history health IT by providers in population health programs.

Surescripts also reported a 21 percent increase in the utilization of its medication history services for patient intake, hospital admission, and care coordination.

Throughout the year, the vendor introduced new health IT features that aim to help providers fill data gaps and remove duplicate medications for a more complete and accurate view of a patient’s medication history.

Officials noted that the health IT filled data gaps in 86 percent of medication histories, helping to reduce the risk of adverse drug events (ADE) and readmissions. The health IT also removed duplicate medications in 62 percent of medication histories.

“In an environment when time with patients is a premium, these enhancements simplify collecting a patient’s medication history while supplying the most robust record available,” Tom Skelton, Surescripts chief executive officer, said in a press release.

“Together with our partners across the Surescripts Network Alliance, we’re empowering providers by quickly supplying them with the patient information they need so that they can spend their time with patients,” Skelton continued.

In 2021, Mount Sinai Health System leveraged the vendor’s medication history services. After five months, the health system saw a 60 percent improvement in its percentage days calculated (PDC) rate, which indicates how long a patient has been adherent to their medication.

“Our goals are to improve medication adherence and related patient outcomes as well as reduce readmissions and unnecessary medication spend on the part of plans and patients,” said Ruchi Tiwari, PharmD, MS, executive director of ambulatory pharmacy and population health at Mount Sinai.

“With notifications pushed to us, we don’t have to have navigation staff sitting with Excel and these different tool sets that are not convenient, time-sensitive, or making the best use of their skill sets,” Tiwari added. “It is a lot more efficient.”