Tuesday, July 14, 2009

 

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Emdeon, a leader in revenue and payment cycle solutions, today announced participation through eRx Network, Emdeon’s pharmacy services operation, in the Rx Response Pharmacy Status Reporting Tool, a revolutionary emergency preparedness tool that is triggered under a federal disaster declaration. The tool allows emergency managers, consumers and healthcare providers access to critical services during a disaster.

 

Rx Response was developed in 2007 to help ensure the availability of medicine to patients during a severe public health emergency. Rx Response acts as a single point of contact for the entire pharmaceutical supply system and federal and state emergency management officials to communicate pharmaceutical needs and other issues which may impact the supply system. The Pharmacy Status Reporting Tool was first activated during the Kentucky ice storm of January 2009 with much success.
 
 “As an integral part of the pharmaceutical supply chain, we are eager to participate with Rx Response to help speed the timely exchange of information regarding operable pharmacies during an emergency,” said George Lazenby, chief executive officer of Emdeon. “We believe this collaboration will further our goal to improve the business of healthcare by providing valuable information when it is needed most.”

 

Emdeon processed four billion healthcare related transactions in 2008 alone. Its revenue and payment cycle network reaches the largest number of payers, providers and pharmacies in the U.S. healthcare system, including approximately 1,200 payers, 500,000 providers, 5,000 hospitals, 77,000 dentists and 55,000 pharmacies. With access to data from a broad geographic area, Emdeon will be able to provide Rx Response with a list of pharmacies that are operating during an emergency based on claims filing information.

 

Following a federal disaster declaration, the Pharmacy Status Reporting Tool displays a list of operating pharmacies and their contact information on an interactive map. The open pharmacy locations are provided in a spreadsheet to emergency managers and in map format for both emergency managers and consumers on the RxResponse.org website.

 

“This is an unprecedented new capability that we are providing to the public, as well as the nation’s emergency management and public health community,” said Erin Mullen, R.Ph., Ph.D., Rx Response director. “We are very proud of what we have accomplished and are grateful to partners like Emdeon for making this asset possible.”

 

Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, public health officials learned important lessons about the vital need for accurate healthcare information during a disaster. The combination of Emdeon’s broad-reaching network and the Rx Response Pharmacy Status Reporting Tool will aid both emergency officials and consumers in receiving timely updates about operating pharmacies in their area should a natural disaster strike this year. 

 

About Emdeon

 

Emdeon is a leading provider of revenue and payment cycle management solutions, connecting payers, providers and patients in the U.S. healthcare system. Our product and service offerings integrate and automate key business and administrative functions of our payer and provider customers throughout the patient encounter. Through the use of Emdeon’s comprehensive suite of products and services, which are designed to easily integrate with existing technology infrastructures, customers are able to improve efficiency, reduce costs, increase cash flow and more efficiently manage the complex revenue and payment cycle process. Emdeon is owned by General Atlantic LLC and Hellman & Friedman LLC. For more information, visit www.emdeon.com.

 

About Rx Response

 

Rx Response supports the continued provision of critical medicines to patients whose health is threatened by a severe public health emergency. For more information, visit www.RxResponse.org.