Marianas Eye saves lives with new software

Marianas Eye Institute introduces a new software that provides patients with safer and more convenient way of getting their prescriptions filled. ePrescibe is the latest medical application designed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of how the medical industry processes prescription medication.

Marianas Eye Institute has been using Electronic Health Records for the past 15 years. Dr. David Khorram, founder and Medical Director, believes in using new technologies early on in the startup process.

“When we started, I was fortunate that the cofounder and office manager of Marianas Eye Institute at the time, my wife, Mara, had significant experience as a healthcare administrator, specifically in the area of health information,” said Khorram. “She led the way in ensuring that from our first day of seeing patients, we were using Electronic Health Records. This was long before the benefits were widely recognized.”

Last year new regulations were initiated by the federal government to encourage medical facilities to move towards EHR’s, which allow doctors to manage patient care in a more efficient manner. These regulations guide clinics to provide “Meaningful Use,” a set of standards and criteria that all participating clinics must follow in order to be compliant.

Electronic Prescribing or ePrescribe or even eRX is an important step in this process. Marianas Eye Institute uses its EHR software to connect with the islands’ local pharmacies—or any pharmacy in the nation.

“eRX allows the prescription to go directly to the pharmacy of patient’s choice. This gets the prescription processed at the pharmacy before the patient arrives. This convenience results in shorter waiting times,” explained Dr. Mark Robertson.

Besides the convenience, Robertson notes that ePrescribe tracks all the medications the patient is taking and provides notices of conflicting medications. “This is key to preventing potentially adverse effects with other medications the patient may be taking,” he added.

Finally, it provides a clear, easy-to-read prescription. There is less likely to be a misinterpretation or reading of what the doctor is asking.

“These features of E-prescribing definitely improve safety for our patients,” said Khorram.

Marianas Eye Institute CEO Russ Quinn said they have been working with their medical software company to make this a reality. “New federal initiatives are pushing clinics toward ‘paperless’ offices, and ePrescribe is a big part of this. We’re in a small percentage of clinics nationwide that has such a long track record in using electronic health records, so the transition is definitely smoother for our patients than for most.”

Marianas Eye Institute provides complete family eye care. It is located across the street from the 13 Fishermen’s Monument on Beach Road in Garapan. Call 235‐9090 or visit www.MarianasEye.com.[I] (PR)[/I]