October 30, 2009 By Elaine Rundle
To help track H1N1 trends, Rhode Island health officials are receiving electronic prescription data to identify outbreaks based on age groups and ZIP codes. The state receives e-prescription data from retail pharmacies through an electronic link with Surescripts, an e-prescriptions network. State health officials view the data, which excludes personal information, to identify increases in Tamiflu prescriptions or other anti-viral medications.
Surescripts uses the pharmacies' data to report how much Tamiflu and other anti-virals are being dispensed to patients and categorizes the information by ZIP code and age group. The reports are sent to the state every two weeks and the data excludes personal information, said Amy Zimmerman, chief of health information technology for the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Go to Emergency Management's Web site to learn more about Rhode Island's use of e-prescription data to identify H1N1 trends.
This Digital Communities white paper highlights discussions with IT officials in four counties that have adopted shared services models. Our aim was to learn about the obstacles these governments have faced when it comes to shared services and what it takes to overcome those roadblocks. We also spoke with several members of the IT industry who have thought long and hard about these issues. The paper offers some best practices for shared government-to-government services, but also points out challenges that government and industry still must overcome before this model gains widespread adoption.
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Digital Communities (DC) is e.Republic‘s local government program. The particular strength of DC is its focus on encouraging collaboration and creating productive relationships between and among cities, counties, regions and select private sector companies uniquely positioned to help improve the delivery of public services.
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