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1 AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES 2 3 4 Resolution: 205 5 (A-09) 6 7Introduced by: Illinois Delegation 8 9Subject: Electronic Prescribing of Class 3 Substances 10 11Referred to: Reference Committee B 12 (Monica C. Wehby, MD, Chair) 13 14 15Whereas, Electronic prescribing (E-prescribing) is becoming more common in physician 16practices; and 17 18Whereas, The prevalence of E-prescribing will become even more commonplace as 19government and insurers incentivize physicians to use this technology and later penalize them 20for not using it; and 21 22Whereas, E-prescribing improves patient safety and quality of care by eliminating illegibility and 23oral miscommunication, providing warning and alert systems and contemporaneous access to 24patient medications; and 25 26Whereas, E-prescribing makes more efficient use of physicians’ time by reducing time spent on 27the phone and faxing prescriptions, automating the prescription and renewal process, and 28increasing patient convenience and compliance; and 29 30Whereas, Current federal regulations do not allow for the E-prescribing of Class 3 controlled 31substances such as Hydrocodone and benzodiazepines; and 32 33Whereas, This prohibition negates all of the advantages noted above, increasing time spent by 34physicians and their staffs in all specialties, but especially those in primary care, oncology and 35pain management; and 36 37Whereas, Currently physicians are allowed to transmit Class 3 drugs via facsimile, which is a 38form of “electronic transmission”; therefore be it 39 40RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association work through appropriate channels to 41permit secure electronic prescriptions of controlled substances. (Directive to Take Action) 42 43Fiscal Note: Implement accordingly at estimated staff cost of $9,294. 44 45Received: 05/05/09