(Radio Iowa) — A new state mandate that begins with the New Year requires all health care providers to send prescriptions directly to the patient’s pharmacy through a secure device and a special software program. The Chair of Family Medicine at Mercy One Central Iowa, Tim McCoy, says they launched the e-prescription system in their clinics last September.

“It does speed up things for nursing staff and patients don’t have to come to the pharmacy — or come to the clinic — to take a written prescription,” McCoy says. “A lot of my patients are elderly, and someone that has to come pick a script up, or they couldn’t get to the clinic.” Doctor McCoy says the system has benefited patients.

“Especially patients that have you know, troubles with transportation, elderly patients. It’s actually been very helpful and patients have been very appreciative of, of that,” according to McCoy.

E-prescriptions have been shown to reduce the number of pharmaceutical and medical errors — as well as the amount of falsified prescriptions, which have contributed to opioid misuse.

(Thanks to Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)