Bill Overview
Title: Prescription Information Modernization Act of 2022
Description: This bill allows health care providers to receive prescribing information for drugs electronically rather than in paper form from manufacturers.
Sponsors: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in the prescription drug process
Estimated Size: 220000000
- The Prescription Information Modernization Act of 2022 impacts those who are involved in the process of prescribing, dispensing, and using prescription medication.
- Healthcare providers such as doctors, pharmacists, and nurses will be directly impacted as they will receive drug prescribing information electronically.
- The shift from paper to electronic information may improve the efficiency and accuracy of drug dispensing, ultimately benefiting all individuals who use prescription medications.
- Patients who rely on prescription drugs will be indirectly impacted by any potential improvements in the speed and accuracy of how prescriptions are handled.
- Pharmaceutical companies and their representatives are affected as they change their processes to distribute prescribing information electronically.
Reasoning
- Pharmaceutical companies will need to incur initial setup costs to transition to electronic systems, which may temporarily affect profitability.
- Patients are a large group that will be indirectly affected primarily through the improvements in healthcare delivery.
- Healthcare providers will likely see the most immediate and noticeable changes in their work processes.
- Given the high volume of prescriptions dispensed annually, even small increments in efficiency can lead to significant system-wide impacts.
- Budget allocations will prioritize converting systems in high-volume areas such as urban hospitals and pharmacies.
- The high number of Americans using prescriptions suggests systemic improvements could yield significant well-being benefits.
- Not all regions or small practices may be equally prepared to implement electronic systems immediately.
Simulated Interviews
Primary Care Physician (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome the shift to electronic prescribing since it aligns with other digital innovations in healthcare.
- It could reduce errors and save time with immediate access to updates.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Pharmacist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Electronic prescriptions are faster and less prone to loss, which could make my job easier.
- However, it depends on how well the technology is implemented.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Software Developer for a Pharmaceutical Company (Austin, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Development of new digital solutions will expand, opening up more business opportunities.
- This aligns well with the trend towards telehealth and digital transformation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Hospital Nurse (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 56 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should improve the prescription process, reducing errors and delivery times.
- It could change the workflow significantly but is a necessary step towards modernization.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Family Physician (Rural Iowa)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.5 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Implementation could be challenging due to lack of digital infrastructure.
- There might be initial costs, but long-term benefits seem promising.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Electronic prescriptions could potentially alter how I engage with medical professionals.
- Adapting might take time but is critical for staying relevant.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Director of Pharmacy at a Hospital (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Switching to electronic prescriptions is vital for minimizing errors and enhancing patient safety.
- Concerns revolve around interoperability of different systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Healthcare Policy Analyst (Miami, FL)
Age: 53 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy represents a needed change in streamlining health services.
- Monitoring its long-term efficacy will be key, focusing on patient outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired Patient (Boston, MA)
Age: 64 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reduced errors and faster prescription handling could significantly improve my quality of life.
- Transition worries me due to resistance in older demographics to adopt new tech.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Pharmaceutical Research Scientist (Denver, CO)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Electronic prescribing enhances data accuracy for research and safety monitoring.
- It's a positive step towards integrating healthcare data systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $12000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $8000000 (Low: $7000000, High: $10000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 5: $3000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $5000000)
Year 10: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $3000000)
Year 100: $500000 (Low: $200000, High: $1000000)
Key Considerations
- Electronic prescription information systems may significantly improve prescription accuracy.
- Initial and ongoing costs may vary based on the technological solutions chosen and the speed of adoption by pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers.
- The bill may encourage innovation in health IT by standardizing electronic prescribing across the industry.