At the end of 2010 McKesson Pharmacy Systems (MPS) reported that it would implement 300% more EnterpriseRx systems in outpatient hospital pharmacies than it did between the years 2005 and 2009.

"Every hospital system is working to improve efficiency as we enter the healthcare reform era, and EnterpriseRx supports this effort by offering solutions that directly improve the patient experience and close the loop on outpatient care," says MPS President Nathan Mott. He gives as one example of improving the patient experience, EnterpriseRx's ability to accept prescriptions entered at the bedside by a physician and organize fulfillment at the outpatient pharmacy according to discharge time. "This equates to patients leaving on time with their prescriptions in hand," Mott says.

Many of the nation's leading healthcare systems, such as Yale-New Haven Hospital, Baylor Health Care System, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Wisconsin Health Services, have installed or are in the process of installing EnterpriseRx.

According to Joe Montler, VP of chain and outpatient sales at MPS, the number of hospitals focused on interoperability and the two-way exchange of patient information across their entire health system is on the rise.

He finds that outpatient pharmacies don't just want a software tool that processes prescriptions, they want a management system that forces improvement in pharmacy processes.

To that end, Montler points out, EnterpriseRx offers automated promise-time workflow by evenly distributing tasks in the fulfillment process. The system is also integrated with central-fill sites that can reduce inventory carrying costs and the cost-per-fill for maintenance medications.