The prescribing practitioner should log into their MQA Online Services account and follow the steps in the user guide to submit a waiver. The Executive Director of each board will approve or deny the waiver and then notify the practitioner.

Please log into your MQA Online Services account and follow the steps in this user guide.

Yes. Our sister Agency, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has a website with more information on how to electronically prescribe: https://ahca.myflorida.com/agency-administration/florida-center-for-health-information-and-transparency/office-of-health-information-exchange-and-policy-analysis/florida-electronic-prescribing-eprescribing-clearinghouse

You may also find electronic prescribing vendors here: https://surescripts.com/what-we-do/ehr-vendors

Section 456.42(3), Florida Statutes, requires prescribing health care practitioners to electronically transmit prescriptions for medicinal drugs upon renewal of license or by July 1, 2021, whichever is earlier, unless a specific exception applies.

After January 1, 2020, you must start electronically prescribing upon licensure renewal or by July 1, 2021, whichever is earlier.

Weekends are not different than in business days.

Federal law requires that on or after January 1, 2021, every prescription for a covered Part D Schedule II, III, IV or V controlled substance must be transmitted electronically unless a specific exemption applies.

Yes.

Practitioners do not have to electronically prescribe if:

• The practitioner and the dispenser are the same entity.
• The prescription cannot be transmitted electronically under the most recent version of the National Council for Prescription Drugs Programs SCRIPT Standard,
• The practitioner has been issued a waiver due to economic hardship, technological limitations not within the practitioner’s control or other demonstrated exceptional circumstance.
• The practitioner reasonably determines that it is impractical for the patient to obtain an electronically prescribed medicinal drug in a timely manner and the delay will adversely impact the patient’s medical condition.
• The drug is prescribed under a research protocol.
• The prescription is for a drug that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires elements that may not be included in an electronic prescription.
• The prescription is issued to an individual in a nursing home or hospice care.
• The practitioner determines it is in the best interest of the patient, or the patient determines it is in his or her own best interest, to compare prescription drug prices among area pharmacies and the practitioner documents this determination in the medical record.

An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. Typically an EHR system consists of computer hardware and software that is purchased or leased.

No, most electronic healthcare recordkeeping systems will require some modifications in order to electronically prescribe, including additional security features and registration of the certified software.

Then this law does not pertain to your current practices.

Yes.

Practitioners who do not have access at their practice or place of employment to an EHR system may still provide written prescriptions to patients. There are other circumstances under which a practitioner with an EHR does not have to prescribe electronically: if the practitioner and the dispenser are the same entity; if the prescription cannot be transmitted under the most recently implemented version fo the NCPDP SCRIPT program; if a DOH waiver has been issued; if it is impractical for a patient to obtain in a timely manner a drug electronically prescribed; the drug is under a research protocol; the prescription is for a drug for which the FDA requires the prescription to contain elements that may not be included in electronic prescribing; the prescription is for a patient receiving hospice care or who is a resident of a nursing facility; or the practitioner or patient determines that it is in the best interest of the patient to be able to compare drug prices among area pharmacies.

Not necessarily. Under limited circumstances the use of these pads will still be allowed.

Interoperability refers to the architecture or standards that make it possible for a different EHR systems to exchange information between providers. Digital accessibility is the ability of an electronic document to be easily navigated and understood by a wide range of users, including those with disabilities

No. A prescription generated on an electronic health recordkeeping system must be transmitted electronically. One that has been generated but then printed out and transmitted via fax is not considered an electronic prescription.

Yes. The practitioner must consult the PDMP prior to prescribing a controlled substance in Schedules II through V regardless of how the prescription is issued.

Yes, if one or more of the exceptions are applicable.

This is the abbreviation for electronically transmitting a drug prescription directly to a pharmacy using electronic health record technology.

No.

A pharmacy would need to ensure they have the appropriate software to accept electronic prescriptions.