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The Institute of Medicine estimates that approxi-

mately 7000 deaths and 1.5 million adverse drug

reactions occur each year in the United States as a

result of medication prescription errors.1 These

errors are largely attributed to a lack of communi-

cation between pharmacists and providers.

These communication problems can be mitigated

through a process called electronic prescribing, or e-

prescribing. E-prescribing is defined as an electronic

way to generate prescriptions through an automated

data-entry process using e-prescribing software and a

transmission network that links to participating phar-

macies.1 This system automatically notifies the phar-

macist filling the prescription of the patient’s medical

history, including drug sensitivities and prescriptions

the patient is currently taking.

In addition to improving the quality of care for

patients, e-prescribing also creates a more efficient

and cost effective health care system. In a 2003,

Medco Health poll, 88% of those surveyed said

they or their staff spent almost one third of their

time responding to phone calls from pharmacies

regarding prescriptions. The duration of the phone

calls were reported to last an average of 8 minutes,

costing one practitioner an estimated loss of $200

per week.2 Furthermore, Medicare reports losing

millions of dollars each year as a result of more

than 530,000 adverse drug events.1

The idea that e-prescribing has the potential for

improving health outcomes was noticed and adopted

by Congress in July 2008, with the passage of H.R.

6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and

Providers Act of 2008. This act, starting January 1,

2009, calls for Medicare to provide incentive pay-

ments to successful e-prescribers. In turn, those

health professionals will receive a 2% incentive pay-

ment in 2009 and 2010; a 1% incentive payment in

2011 and 2012; and a 0.5% incentive payment in

2013. However, starting in 2012, those who are not

successful e-prescribers will receive reduced pay-

ment. An exception to this rule exists for eligible

health professionals who can prove that compliance

with this requirement would cause a significant hard-

ship; if this burden test is met, they are not required

to comply.1

E-prescribing is taking the much needed first steps

in bridging the communication gap between health

professionals and pharmacists. This new method will

aim at saving time, resources, and money for both pri-

vate and public health care systems.

References

1. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS takes new steps toaccelerate adoption of electronic prescribing, July 21, 2008. Available at:http://www.hhs.gov/news/facts/eprescribing.html. Accessed September12, 2008.

2. Pennell U. What is e-prescribing and what are the benefits? Available at:http://www.emrconsultant.com/emr_ePrescribing.php. AccessedSeptember 12, 2008.

E-PrescribingOffers a Carrot and a Stick

Jodie Curtis, Government Relations Director, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

February 21-23, 2009

The Westin Grand, Washington, DCKnowledge of current health care policy, legislation, and practice issues is criticalto advancing the nurse practitioner role. The Summit provides the knowledge and

the leadership development to take advantage of expanding opportunities forinnovations in health care delivery, education, and role development. You’ll have achance to network with colleagues, communicate with your legislative represen-

tatives on Capitol Hill, and attend quality presentations on current issues

2009 National Nurse Practitioner Summitand Leadership Conference

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2008 ACNP Award Winners2008 ACNP Nurse Practitioner Student

Scholarship Award

Johanna Obando, RN, BSN, of Corona, California, waspresented the 2008 ACNP Nurse Practitioner StudentScholarship Award on November 1 at the ACNP 2008National Clinical Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, byACNP and Elsevier, the publisher of ACNP’s official clin-ical journal, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. Thisaward recognizes an individual NP student who hasmade an outstanding contribution to the professionthrough his or her studies and activities in the community.

As a child immigrant from Nicaragua, Johanna and herfamily received health care from clinics in her communi-

ty, and now, as a health care provider herself, her goal isto provide health care services to underserved commu-nities. She volunteers on a medical mobile unit and hasbeen on medical missions to the Dominican Republic,Mexico, and Nicaragua. Johanna serves as a researchassistant to the childhood obesity study sponsored bythe Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with the keyobjective of assisting Spanish-speaking, low-incomefamilies resolve issues surrounding childhood obesity.

Johanna, a family nurse practitioner student atCalifornia State University in Fullerton, CA, expects tograduate in August 2009. She earned her BSN fromAzusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, and her AA at Mt.San Antonio College, Walnut, CA.

2008 ACNP State Affiliate Award

The 2008 ACNP State Affiliate Award was presented tothe Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners (PCNP)on November 1 at the ACNP National Clinical Conferencein Nashville, Tennessee, in recognition of their work innegotiating passage of House Bill 1253, now Act 48 inPennsylvania; their involvement in shaping House Bill700, the governor of Pennsylvania’s comprehensive ini-tiative for health reform; and their ongoing initiatives tomaximize the practice of nurse practitioners.

The PCNP prepared a white paper describing bothobstacles and solutions to the issues surrounding themany barriers to full scope of practice for NPs andrestrictions for patients to full access to care. The white

paper was used as the architectural skeleton for the dis-cussions of House Bill 1253, and after long hours ofnegotiation, much debate among NP peers and physiciancolleagues, very little money but lots of perseverance,the bill was passed on September 19, 2007.

This bill gives NPs the authority to order home healthand hospice care, except as limited by Medicare law, per-form disability assessment for temporary assistance toneedy families, and issue homebound school certifica-tions; provides full recognition of NPs as primary careproviders by third-party payers; and other elements. ThePCNP continues to work with the Governor’s Office ofHealth Policy and Reform as they write the regulationsthat will follow the statutory changes.

2008 ACNP Community Service Award

The 2008 ACNP Community Service Award was presentedto Carmen Paniagua, EdD, RN, CPC, ACNP-BC, onNovember 1 at the ACNP National Clinical Conference inNashville, Tennessee. She serves as the acute care nursepractitioner specialty coordinator and mentor to new facultyat the School of Nursing, University of Arkansas for MedicalSciences in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Dr. Paniaqua devotes many hours to service activities inthe Hispanic community. As a faculty member and nursepractitioner, she has received recognition for her servicework in El Latino, a weekly Spanish newspaper, and on local

television programs. For 4 years, she has provided NP serv-ices at the Charity Hispanic Clinic, while mentoring NP stu-dents to participate in Hispanic wellness programs andhealth fairs in the community. As an active member of theNational Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations(NCEMNA), she mentors other minority nurses involved inresearch projects. At the state level, she was a commis-sioner for the Arkansas Minority Health for two consecutivelegislative terms and on the Genetics Advisory Council forArkansas Health Department. Finally, she is a superb rolemodel and peer supporter for recruitment and retention ofminority nurses throughout the state.

2008 Sharp Cutting Edge Award

Tine Hansen-Turton, JD, was presented the Nancy SharpCutting Edge Award on November 1 at the ACNP NationalClinical Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. While not anurse herself, she has been described as the preeminentadvocate for nurse practitioners as vital providers of healthcare. Dr. Hansen-Turton holds dual roles as director of theNational Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC) and execu-tive director of the Convenient Care Association (CCA).

The NNCC grew under her leadership from 11 regionalhealth centers to a national representation of over 100nurse-managed health centers in the United States to pro-vide quality primary health care services to 1 million vul-nerable families annually. At NNCC, she assists academicnursing institutions and independent nonprofit organiza-

tions in developing health centers with a focus on nursingeducation and community-based practice.

As executive director of CCA, she manages the associ-ation for the Convenient Care Clinics (CCC), which repre-sents small health care facilities in retail outlets. In bothareas where she serves leadership roles, the facilities arepredominantly managed by NPs. In addition, she has beensuccessful in fundraising for NNCC’s programs, securing$30 million.

Dr. Hansen-Turton also finds time to teach health policy,program planning, and outcome evaluation to nursing stu-dents at LaSalle University, Temple University, andJefferson University. She is also co-author of Communityand Nurse-Managed Centers: Getting Them Started andKeeping Them Going.

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On July 30, Representatives Tom Latham (R-IA)

and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Nurses’

Higher Education and Loan Repayment Act of 2008

(H.R. 6652). At a time when our national health

care system is facing an acute nursing shortage,

this type of support is essential to increase the

number of educators who will prepare the next

generation of registered nurses. “Our schools of

nursing are struggling to increase student capacity

in the face of a severe nurse faculty shortage. This

program would enable more nurses to pursue the

advanced degrees needed to teach without the

burden of additional student loan debt.”

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing

reports that 44 other nursing and health care organ-

izations are supporting H.R. 6652.

1555-4155/08/$ see front matter© American College of Nurse Practitionersdoi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2008.09.008

Nurses’ Higher Education and Loan Repayment Act Introduced

2009 Public Policy Institute:Excellent Resource for

DNP StudentsACNP’s third Advanced Public Policy Institute for

Health Professionals will be held February 18-21,

2009, at the Grand Westin Hotel in Washington,

DC. This extensive 3-day public policy program will

feature presentations from national health policy

makers and strategists from both the executive

and legislative branches of government.

Participants will learn how to maximize their impact

on health policymaking in Washington as they

review essentials of policy development and imple-

mentation and gain an understanding of the

Washington policy environment and key players.

Angela Martin, APRN, a DNP student at George

Washington University, in private practice and a

small business owner, and 2008 participant, said,

“The major difference in this course and earlier

experiences was the depth and breadth of the

knowledge obtained. The Policy Institute provided

by ACNP was comprehensive and global in its per-

spective and highly motivating for taking action.”

Simmy Randhawa, MS, MBA, RN, CPN, a DNP

student from George Washington University, said,

“I have been truly enlightened since attending the

Public Policy Institute. I know I will continue to take

a proactive role in learning more about public policy

and what I can do as an individual to help influence

and advocate for others.”

DNP student Julie-Anne Evangelista, PNP, said,

“Participating in the ACNP Public Policy Institute

was an energizing and thoroughly exciting informa-

tive experience. I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes

Washington scenarios, nuts and bolts of health

issues, and the critical need to develop a leadership

presence among health professionals. There were

many highlights, but the opportunity to meet and

talk to the U.S. Surgeon General was on the top of

my list.”

Registration info is available at http://www.

acnpweb.org, click on Conferences.

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American College of Nurse PractitionersAdvanced Public Policy Institute for Health Professionals

February 18–20, 2009Th e Westin Grand, Washington, DC

National Nurse Practitioner Summitand Leadership Conference

February 21–23, 2009Th e Westin Grand, Washington, DC

———————

Reserve your room at The Westin Grand in Washington, DC, the site of theAmerican College of Nurse Practitioner’s 2009 Advanced Public Policy Institute and

Nurse Practitioner Summit and Leadership Conference.Situated in the stylish West End district of the nation’s capital, it has an unbeatable location.

Take advantage of ACNP’s preferred rate of only $169 per night,which is available until January 18, 2009.

To make your hotel reservations, call toll-free 1-800-937-8461 or visit www.acnpweb.org.

Plan now to attend these exciting events.

TJNP_Summit_09_hotel_ad.indd 1 10/3/08 1:29:06 PM

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