A report called Health Information Technology and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009: A Road Map for Community Pharmacy reflects the agreed-upon consensus that emerged from a two-day conference in June with healthcare industry stakeholders, hosted by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

Highlights of the report include a focus on pharmacies taking ownership of the medication management and use process, along with playing an instrumental role in helping create the necessary interoperability standards for the nation’s HIT infrastructure.

“As any successful business owner will tell you, adapting to the changing marketplace is critical for continued success,” says Bruce Roberts, NCPA executive VP and CEO. “Community pharmacies want to provide the best possible patient care. Creating greater efficiencies using health information technology can make a world of difference. That’s why NCPA established technology-based companies like Surescripts and Mirixa, and it is why we are working proactively to incorporate electronic health records into our operations.”

Healthcare providers are pushing to rapidly share information through computerized technology that reduces the use of paper, such as handwritten prescriptions. These efforts were accelerated this year with the passage of ARRA that includes significant funding for HIT in creating a national interoperable healthcare system by 2014.