Medication managers, CVS drug stores merge networks (AP)

Some drug store and pharmacy information systems are merging their networks to better serve the health care industry. This vendors involved are the CVS chain, Caremark, Express Scripts, and MedcoHealth Solutions/Surescripts. The transaction closed on July 1, and will make electronic efficient and convenient for physicians. It is also touted as a way to reduce prescription errors by moving away from handwritten Rxs.
In 2007 only about 2% of prescriptions were electronically submitted. Physicians have embraced it in medical schools. But private doctors have complained that the whole cost of conversion falls solely on their shoulders, only to benefit the pharmacy managers.
The combined company is named Surescripts-RxHub. Unions have lobbied in support of electronic prescriptions as a way to manage healthcare costs.

Story at the AARP Bulletin online at http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/medications/articles/medication_managers_drug_stores_merge_networks.html