SAN MATEO, CALIF., November 16, 2006
Epocrates Enhances Free Online Application With New Features
Clinicians and their Patients Benefit from Pill Pictures, Education Materials and Drug Pricing
WHAT: Epocrates is enhancing its free web-based drug and formulary reference guide with patient education materials and additional clinical tools. Clinicians currently have immediate access to the information needed to make prescribing decisions – such as drug dosing, drug interactions and health plan coverage. Now, they can also access valuable resources including:
- Pill Pictures: no more guessing games – With one-third of U.S. adults taking at least five medications or supplements every day , patients often struggle when asked to list their medications. Now, clinicians can reference Epocrates Online and view pill pictures to help patients correctly identify their prescribed medications eliminating the guesswork and reducing drug errors. Clinicians may also provide their patients with a printed picture of the newly prescribed drug to avoid confusion with other pills.
- Patient Education Handouts: improving compliance and safety – Many patients have questions about new prescriptions after leaving the doctor’s office. As an enhancement to the free version of Epocrates Online, clinicians can now provide their patients with answers to frequently asked questions for the prescribed medication. The patient-friendly educational handouts are available in English or Spanish and can be printed or emailed. Common concerns addressed in the handouts include:
- What if I miss a dose?
- Should this be taken with food? Swallowed whole?
- What are the possible side effects?
- Drug Pricing & Insurance Coverage: managing patients’ financial expectations – Physicians often don’t have discussions with their patients about drug costs because the information is not readily available. However, the high costs of drugs are often linked to patient non-compliance. For uninsured patients, clinicians can now look-up the average retail price for medications in the Epocrates drug database. For insured patients, clinicians can check for health plan coverage and copay tiers. Clinicians then have the option to prescribe a lower-cost alternative if available in either situation.
In addition to these features, Epocrates Online application includes information on more than 3,500 drugs, MultiCheck - a drug interaction checker that can identify potential interactions, and formulary coverage information for more than 130 health plans and all Medicare Part D plans.
HOW: Medical professionals can immediately access Epocrates Online and take advantage of these new features by visiting www.epocrates.com. Hospitals, group practices and medical associations can also add the Epocrates MedSearch toolbar to any Internet or Intranet site for broader access at their institution for free by visiting www.epocrates.com/medsearch.
WHO: Healthcare editors and publishers are encouraged to try Epocrates Online and contact Erica Sniad Morgenstern at 650-227-6907 or pr@epocrates.com for more information.