Urology ranks second in e-prescribing adoption

About two-thirds of urologists own electronic prescribing systems, placing urology second among specialties in e-prescribing adoption, according to a study that tracked adoption rates between 2007 and 2010.

E-prescribing ownership significantly increased among physician practices overall during the period, according to the study, which was published online in the American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits (Dec. 12, 2013).

For the study, researchers examined data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey between 2007 and 2010. Respondents were asked about their e-prescribing tools and how they used such systems. Overall, the percentage of physicians who owned e-prescribing tools increased from 29.9% in 2007 to 56.4% in 2010.

The top three specialties for owning e-prescribing tools in 2010 were general and family medicine (68.4%), urology (65.5%), and cardiology (64.9%). E-prescribing adoption among urologists may actually be higher. The 2013 Urology Times State of the Specialty survey found that 87% of urologists use e-prescribing, and the number is even higher-98%-among those in groups of 10 or more urologists.

“Electronic prescribing access is growing, although use in certain specialties lags behind others,” wrote the authors, led by Erik Kokkonen, MD, of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC. “Solo practitioners, owners of practices, and physicians outside metropolitan areas also may require expanded incentives to adopt e-prescribing.”

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