Prepress

Standard Register Aligns with SureScripts-RxHub to Provide Clinical Solutions for Better Managing Patient Medications

Tuesday 04. November 2008 - Standard Register (NYSE: SR), a leading provider of document and workflow automation services to healthcare organizations, and SureScripts-RxHub, the newly consolidated health information network, have formalized an agreement that will lay the groundwork for the development of innovative clinical solutions for managing patient medications.

“With SureScripts-RxHub’s comprehensive health information network and our technology, we have the opportunity to create clinical solutions that will have a measurable impact on reducing adverse drug events and improve the quality of patient care,” said Standard Register’s acting chief executive officer, Joe Morgan.

“Clinician workflow is a key consideration to the medication reconciliation process,” said SureScripts-RxHub’s vice president of Clinical Affairs and Product Strategy, Ken Majkowski. “With Standard Register’s experience in healthcare document and workflow automation, clinicians can make sure that medication history is delivered to the right place at the right time.”

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, over 770,000 people are injured or die each year in hospitals from adverse drug events. Moreover, a study released by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine (September 2008) states that 72 percent of potentially harmful medication discrepancies are due to errors in taking patients’ medication histories.

Today, there is no consistent process for collecting patient medication histories. Standard Register estimates 13 percent of hospitals use a computerized system for medication reconciliation, 50 percent are strictly paper-based while the remaining 37 percent follow a hybrid approach.

Standard Register is developing a standardized approach that will create a more accurate patient medication history and streamline the medication reconciliation process. SR’s suite of solutions will provide a firmer foundation for medication administration and support hospitals in complying with the Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goal for medication reconciliation.

“Having complete, reliable and confidential medication histories for patients are fundamental to quality care,” Morgan observed. “By collaborating with SureScript-RxHub and applying our experience in improving workflow and automating paper-based processes, I believe we can make an important contribution to patient care.”