Statement From Dr. Frank Proscia, President, Doctors Council SEIU, on Delay in E-Prescribing

Doctors Council SEIU commends Governor Cuomo for signing a one-year extension for the implementation of the e-prescribing mandate into law. We support e-prescribing, but want to ensure that there is no negative impact to patient care by rushing a major change before the infrastructure and training of staff, as well as coordination with patients, is complete.

While hospitals may continue to utilize or deploy e-prescribing in the interim year (in advance of the March 2016 date), frontline doctor input in this process remains critical regardless of start date.

There is ample evidence that paperless prescription systems improve patient safety. We hope that this additional time will allow for better involvement, informing and training of doctors. We look forward to working towards this goal of ample preparedness in areas such as patient flow in our facilities, electronic medical records and IT issues.

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About Doctors Council SEIU

Doctors Council SEIU, a professional organization for doctors, is the nation’s oldest and largest union of attending physicians and dentists in the United States, with members in New York City, and in states across the country. Formed in 1973, Doctors Council SEIU is a union for doctors and a voice for patients, and represents attending physicians and dentists at Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) facilities and hospitals, including doctors employed by the affiliates New York University School of Medicine, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Physician Affiliate Group of New York (PAGNY). HHC is the largest public hospital system in the nation. Doctors Council SEIU also represents doctors in the New York City Mayoral agencies including the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) as well as doctors working at Rikers Island, the largest correctional facility in the nation. Affiliated with SEIU, Doctors Council SEIU is a national union representing doctors employed in the public and private sectors.