Anthony J. Schueth, MS

Despite clear evidence of its benefits, widespread adoption of electronic prescribing (ePrescribing) has been slow. The vast majority of prescriptions are still written by hand, a process plagued with errors and inefficiencies. The Southeast Michigan ePrescribing Initiative (SEMI), a collaborative effort of employers, health plans, physician groups, and others, was launched in 2005 to speed the adoption of ePrescribing. SEMI has accomplished much in 4 years, enrolling more than 3000 physicians who have transmitted nearly 9.5 million electronic prescriptions while improving patient safety and winning over physicians. (Drug Benefit Trends. 2009;21:23-26)