E-Prescribing Can Help Improve Prescriber, Pharmacist Collaboration
The use of electronic prescribing can also bridge the gap in clinical history, which can help pharmacists be aware of adverse drug reactions and medication interactions.
E-prescribing can help prescribers and pharmacists collaborate while increasing first-fill medication adherence up to 10%, according to a report from Surescripts. According to the company, there were 1.34 million prescribers using E-prescribing in 2024, a 3.9% increase from 2023. The top 3 medication types prescribed—central nervous system, cardiovascular, and anti-infection—were consistent from 2023 to 2024.1
The use of electronic prescribing can also bridge the gap in clinical history, which can help pharmacists be aware of adverse drug reactions and medication interactions. | Image Credit: amenic181 - stock.adobe.com
In 2023, the fastest-growing type of e-prescriber was pharmacists. However, this growth did not continue in 2024. The company suspects this could be because of the pharmacy closures that are continuing in 2025. Pharmacy school applications have also been declining over the past decade, which causes concerns about the ongoing workforce shortage as well as pharmacy closures.1,2
“Pharmacy closures are an issue, and it's not only independents. Of course, we don't advocate or we don't represent the chains, but the chains are closing too, actually, 3 times as fast as the independents, and the independents are closing too fast,” Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA, CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association, said in an interview.3
In April 2025, CVS announced plans to close up to 25 pharmacy locations in Arkansas as a result of a bill banning pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacy storefronts. In May 2025, Rite Aid declared bankruptcy again, which will result in more store closures. The company will be working to facilitate smooth transfers of customer prescriptions to other pharmacies for continuity of care.4,5
The Surescripts report also found that the usage of electronic prior authorizations increased by 37.2%, and for specialty medication specifically, usage was 29.4%. The top medication types for electronic prior authorization requests included diabetic therapy, antiobesity medication, and opioids.1
The use of electronic prescribing can also bridge the gap in clinical history, which can help pharmacists be aware of adverse drug reactions. The company stated, “When pharmacists are kept out of the loop of clinical communication, they can’t work as effectively to fill gaps in access to care.”1
The report also covers glucagon-like peptide-1s (GLP-1s), which have been growing in popularity for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Surescripts reported 55.9 million e-prescriptions processed for GLP-1s, which was a 35.4% increase from 2023.1
Novo Nordisk recently announced that they would team up with Hims & Hers Health, LifeMD, and Ro to provide semaglutide (Wegovy) to patients, expanding telehealth access to patients for the weight loss medication. Wegovy will be provided in all dose strengths, according to a news release.6,7
READ MORE: Technology and Data Resource Center
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