John Kerry: “Seven thousand Americans die every year because of preventable adverse drug events. Tens of thousands of more are…”

“Seven thousand Americans die every year because of preventable adverse drug events. Tens of thousands of more are injured. Meanwhile, of the three billion prescriptions that are written each year, doctors report that nearly one billion of them required a followup for clarity, costing our health care system billions of dollars a year. That is why I am pleased to join my colleagues Senator Ensign, Senator Stabenow and Senator Martinez to introduce critical legislation to help bring our health care system into the 21st century through electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, of medications in the Medicare program. The benefits of e-prescribing are clear and compelling. When a doctor 'writes' an electronic prescription, a computer or handheld device warns of potentially dangerous interactions or allergies or informs a physician whether a particular drug is covered by a patient's insurance. It also tells the physician whether a chemically identical generic alternative is available at a fraction of the price. The path to a more modern, accountable health care system starts with health information technology. The path to robust health information technology starts with e-prescribing. This legislation would provide permanent funding for physician payment bonuses in Medicare to help offset the costs of acquiring e-prescribing systems and to incentivize the use of the technology.”