Evaluating trends in pharmacist e-prescribing: 2019-2022

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Pharmacists possess prescriptive authority nationwide, yet data on their prescribing volume and characteristics remain limited.
• Understanding pharmacist prescribing is crucial for evaluating the impact of regulations supporting their expanded roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in pharmacist e-prescribing from 2019-2022.
• To compare pharmacist prescribing trends with those of primary care providers (PCPs).

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study analyzed national electronic health record (EHR) e-prescription data from January 2019 to January 2023.
• E-prescriptions were categorized by prescriber type (pharmacist vs. PCP) to determine annual volume and leading therapeutic classes.
• Geographic variations in pharmacist e-prescribing volume were also identified.

Main Results:

• Pharmacist e-prescriptions increased by 47% (814,726 to 1,199,601) between 2019 and 2022.
• The number of pharmacists prescribing grew by 122% (1650 to 3664) during the same period.
• Primary care provider e-prescribing saw a 4% increase in volume and an 8% increase in the number of prescribers.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacist e-prescribing demonstrated substantial growth over the four-year study period.
• Primary care provider e-prescribing exhibited more modest increases.
• Factors influencing pharmacist prescribing include technology access (EHRs), state regulations, and reimbursement policies.