Drug Lists

Now that the government has released the 2014 Edition of Meaningful Use (also called Stage 2), it will be important for EHR vendors to ensure that they can meet all the required criteria. Here's a quick guide to how Lexicomp can help you meet the requirements:

• Drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction checking [170.314(a)(2)]
• Patient education materials [170.314(a)(15)]
• eMAR (electronic medication administration record) [170.314(a)(16)]
• Clinical information reconciliation [170.314(b)(4)]
• Immunization information [170.314(f)(1)]
• Transmission to immunization information registries [170.314(f)(2)]
• Electronic prescribing [170.314(b)(3)]
• Problem lists [170.314(a)(5)]
• Medication lists [170.314(a)(6)]
• Medication allergy lists [170.314(a)(7)]
• Clincial decision support functionality [170.314(a)(8)]

For more information, contact Lexicomp today!

• Our Web API solution empowers integration of all Lexicomp content. Consistent API programming calls save time and allow clinicians to launch from their internal applications into our clinical databases, utilizing whatever delivery platform they choose.

• Our Web Services platform is written for compatibility with Microsoft® .NET™ and Java™ programs. XML data can be obtained via standardized calls and is then processed and returned in real-time. Your application will retrieve and parse the content into your display, making complete customization a reality.

XML Datasets

• If live Internet calls are not preferred, XML datasets are available for download from an FTP site and incorporated directly into the database.

If you have any questions about Lexi-Data, please contact us!

Thanks to Marissa for her recent post re:  the popular use of Lexi-Data by EMRs.  I would like to add that if Lexi-Data doesn't fulfill of all of your ERM needs, then the best alternative would be to take a look at Medi-Span,  Lexi-Data's sister company data provider.  If you want to know what Marissa said,  I am excerpting below:

"Over the last few years, Lexicomp has become one of the leaders in providing EMR development companies with drug data to include in their products.  We've worked with hundreds of companies to go through MU certification and we continue to stay abreast of changes in the industry. 

Not only does Lexi-Data provide all of the standard drug information that one would expect from other suppliers, but it also provides the best pediatric dose range dosing information, customization for alerts, trusted referential content for users and patient education handouts.  Lexi-Data helps EMRs satisfy several areas of MU crtieria such as: drug-drug interaction checking, drug-allergy interaction checking, patient specific education resources, and CVX/MVX mapping.

Lexi-Data offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and API's and most importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexicomp is on your list."

Over the last few years, Lexicomp has become one of the leaders in providing EMR development companies with drug data to include in their products.  We've worked with hundreds of companies to go through MU certification and we continue to stay abreast of changes in the industry. 

Not only does Lexi-Data provide all of the standard drug information that one would expect from other suppliers, but it also provides the best pediatric dose range dosing information, customization for alerts, trusted referential content for users and patient education handouts.  Lexi-Data helps EMRs satisfy several areas of MU crtieria such as: drug-drug interaction checking, drug-allergy interaction checking, patient specific education resources, and CVX/MVX mapping.

Lexi-Data offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and API's and most importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexicomp is on your list.

We work with hundreds of EMR vendors to integrate our drug database into their EMR/EHR systems for clinical decision support.   Lexi-Data's reference and clinical decision support databases have been winning customers among small- and mid-sized EHR and EMR vendors.  I thought it would be helpful to provide all of the developers out there who are reading this with some of our most frequently asked questions.  The ultimate goal always being that your EMR will meet government regulations regarding Meaningful Use.  Here are a list of questions and factors to consider while you are doing your homework on a drug interactions database:

1. What kind of support is provided if I run into development issues?
2. What is the annual subscription fee for access to the content?
3. Is the drug database an approved database by SureScripts (if you will be building ePrescribing in-house instead of licensing it through a 3^rd party vendor)
4. Do you have sample data that I can work with?
5. What type of documentation do you provide for your database?
6. Consider how you want to access the content – through an FTP account download or via web services?  What delivery options are available?
7. Do you provide an API for easier implementation?  Is it powered by Java or .NET APIs?
8. How often is the content updated?
9. Is there a way to customize alerts to prevent alert fatigue within my system?
10. Do you offer reference content for users to access if they have questions about a drug?
11. Are patient education leaflets available in multiple languages?
12. What environments are compatible with the data?  Oracle®, SQL Server®,  MySQL®?

If you are shopping for a interaction database or medication list, be sure to do your homework. Request a trial of Lexi-Data's database today and see the difference for yourself. Whatever database you implement into your product will be with you for years to come, so make sure the vendor provides you with the highest level of customer service and demonstrates a sense of urgency to your requests. It's worth it to find one that will be easy to update and maintain so you can focus on the other requirements of your product. 

Several weeks ago Matt Bennardo posted a blog titled: "For EHRs and EMRs,  database structure can make all the difference."  It was a terrific posting, but I think it would have garnered a larger audience if the title had been:

"Why EMR developers care about  the data structure for drug information"

In sum,  it suggests that good data is important,  as is the selected fields,  but what many EMR developers hang their hat on regarding a drug information database decision,  is "data structure."  This one of the reasons that Lexi-Data has expanded so rapidly in the last few years --- a very intuitive and easy to understand and access data structure.   

Matt wrote:

When evaluating a drug interactions and reference database, what factors do you consider? It's important to have a database that will allow your users to meet government regulations regarding Meaningful Use, but there's more to it than that. Implementing a drug interactions database into your EHR product is not a trivial undertaking -- the structure of the data matters!

Lexi-Data's reference and clinical decision support databases have been winning customers among small- and mid-sized EHR and EMR vendors. Data structure is one reason for that. When our customers evaluate Lexi-Data and other options, they tell us that Lexi-Data is much more intuitive and simpler to implement.

If you are shopping for a interaction database or medication list, be sure to do your homework. Request a trial of Lexi-Data's database today and see the difference for yourself. Whatever database you implement into your product will be with you for years to come. It's worth it to find one that will be easy to update and maintain so you can focus on the other requirements of your product.

When evaluating a drug interactions and reference database, what factors do you consider? It's important to have a database that will allow your users to meet government regulations regarding Meaningful Use, but there's more to it than that. Implementing a drug interactions database into your EHR product is not a trivial undertaking -- the structure of the data matters!

Lexi-Data's reference and clinical decision support databases have been winning customers among small- and mid-sized EHR and EMR vendors. Data structure is one reason for that. When our customers evaluate Lexi-Data and other options, they tell us that Lexi-Data is much more intuitive and simpler to implement.

If you are shopping for a interaction database or medication list, be sure to do your homework. Request a trial of Lexi-Data's database today and see the difference for yourself. Whatever database you implement into your product will be with you for years to come. It's worth it to find one that will be easy to update and maintain so you can focus on the other requirements of your product.

EHR developers who target different countries have different requirements. One particular requirement has to do with the coding of conditions lists for interactions checking and other purposes. Lexicomp's conditions lists are coded with both ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes.

ICD-9 codes are currently the standard in the United States, but much of the rest of the world uses ICD-10. Lexicomp's commitment to providing both codesets is one reason they have been partnering successfully with EHR, EMR, and HIS vendors both in the U.S. and abroad.

If you are looking drug information into include your EMR,  Lexi-Data is no doubt on your short list.  As you go through your decision making process,  here are just a few questions you might want to ask:

Give us a call and get some answers:

·         Do you have customers that have been certified for MU and ePrescribing?

·         Do you have sample data that you can provide for review?

·         What type of support do you offer during integration?

·         Do you offer web service capabilities?

·         What type of documentation do you provide for your database?

·         Do you support RxNorm?

·         Do you support Meaningful Use? If so, in what way?

·         Do you support Scripts for eprescribing?

·         What is the structure of the database?

·         Do you offer an API?

·         What differentiates you from your competitors?

·         How often is the content updated?

·         How are updates provided?

·         How much does Lexi-Data cost?

·         Does Lexi-Data include ICD-9/10 codes?

·         How does Lexi-Data compare to other vendors?

·         How often is Lexi-Data updated?

·         Do I need to use the Lexi API?

By now it is not a surprise, more and more EMR and EHR  business owners and general managers are turning to Lexicomp to solve their drug information needs.   In a few short years,  Lexicomp has been the fastest growing provider of drug information to the EMR market.   This didn't happen by accident.  It came as a result of  Lexicomp's three-legged trifecta approach to providing drug information to EMR and EHR developers -- of any size!  

What are three aspects?

1. Top quality data
2. Elegant data structure with easy to use API's
3. The best customer and development support you can find anywhere.  (It makes your work so much easier)

In addition to supplying the expected information such as drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions, adverse drug events, RxNorm mapping, generic drug lists, drug nomenclature, and more.  Lexi-Data also offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and APIs!  Although, perhaps more importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexi is on your list.

And if you are thinking about building your own ePrescribing module,  I call your attention to a posting my colleague Matt Bennardo published last week:

As EHR vendors find their products growing and signing up more users, many start to think about moving from using a third-party eprescribing solution to building their own. The reasons for making this switch are many:

• As your user base grows, eprescribing fees grow too
• Bring features in-house makes it easier to respond to specific customer needs
• A third-party solution is a risk, as you never can be sure what will happen in the market

One of the first steps in building your own eprescriber is to find a data provider who can supply you with medication lists and other information that Surescripts requires to certify your tool. Lexicomp is one such provider. They've been focused on providing drug data direct to clinicians for over thirty years, but now they can also supply you with database-ready information to power an eprescriber.

Lexicomp's customers have used their data to certify EMRs and EHRs with ONC testing bodies like Drummond, CCHIT, and Infogard. Their customers have also certified eprescribers using Lexicomp data with Surescripts. And best of all, Lexicomp's flexible pricing and easy implementation allows firms of all sizes to get up and running smoothly and quickly.

Recently someone asked, "What would you say are the most common words that people associate with Lexi-Data and the value and service that the database delivers?".   I would say it is a long list,  but the following short list comes to mind:  "drug interaction database , drug nomenclature,  drug reference pediatric , drug classifications list, pediatric dosage database, adverse drug events, drug interaction database for EHRs."

The journey of selecting of a clinical decision support database can be somewhat of an overwhelming task at first glance. How much time and money will it take to implement when the project list is already a mile long? What are the necessary resources that will be involved? Luckily, there are vendors out there like Lexicomp that make it pretty painless when implementing a drug database.  

Apparently there has been some interest in several of my recent blog posts,  so I am re-posting two of them.  I like the second one :

The first one:

"In a few short years,  Lexicomp has gone from being the provider of choice for drug reference information to the vendor of choice for EMR development companies looking for a supplier of drug data to include in their product.   Lexi-Data provides all of the standard drug information that one would expect from the other suppliers,  but it also provides the best pediatric dosing information available.   In addition to supplying the expected information such as drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions,  adverse drug events,  RxNorm mapping,  generic drug lists,  drug nomenclature,  and more.  Lexi-Data offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and API's and most importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexi is on your list."

The second:  (enjoy)

"We live in a turbulent and fast changing world.  What was good yesterday is not necessarily what is best for today.   Where is Netscape?   How about Alta Vista?    Lotus is certainly history but how many of you remember Multiplan and before that VisiCalc?  The changes occur quickly -- not like the phasing out of a buggy whip.  

The same could  be said about more and more EMR developers who are turning to Lexi-Data for their drug information.    Lexi-Data just hit the scene a little more than two years ago.  And how quickly it has grown and capturing a major part of new EMR development in need of drug information.  Why so?

Is it about drug information quality?   Is it about ease of integrating the APIs?   How about quality of the Pediatric Drug Information and drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions?  Or is about the top quality customer support during the development and integration phase,  where Lexicomp treats it customers like true partners?"

Needless to say,  as you can imagine,  it is about all of the above.   If you haven't acted yet,  it is about time

By now it is not a surprise,  more and more EMR and EHR  business owners and general managers are turning to Lexicomp to solve their drug information needs.   In a few short years,  Lexicomp has been the fastest growing provider of drug information to the EMR market.   This didn't happen by accident.  It came as a result of  Lexicomp's three-legged trifecta approach to providing drug information to EMR and EHR developers -- of any size!  

What are three aspects?

1. Top quality data
2. Elegant data structure with easy to use API's
3. The best customer and development support you can find anywhere.  (It makes you work so much easier)

In addition to supplying the expected information such as drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions, adverse drug events, RxNorm mapping, generic drug lists, drug nomenclature, and more.. Lexi-Data also offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and API's!  Although, perhaps more importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexi is on your list.

Are you heavily involved in making the critical decisions for EMR development and the need to include the best drug information, along with the best vendor support?

Several weeks ago I wrote:

Are you the owner or manager of an ambulatory EMR company?   What keeps you up late at night?   Worried about getting your product to the market as quickly as possible and keeping your costs under control?  Worried about certification?   No doubt you have some thoughts about reducing medical errors by including the best drug information and internal built-in logic.   More and more EMR and EHR  business owners and general managers are turning to Lexicomp to solve their drug information needs.

In a few short years,  Lexicomp has been the fastest growing provider of drug information to the EMR market.  As I said in a previous post:

In addition to supplying the expected information such as drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions, adverse drug events, RxNorm mapping, generic drug lists, drug nomenclature, and more.  Lexi-Data offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and API's and most importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexi is on your list.

And if you are thinking about building your own ePrescribing module,  I call your attention to a posting my colleague Matt Bennardo published last week:

As EHR vendors find their products growing and signing up more users, many start to think about moving from using a third-party eprescribing solution to building their own. The reasons for making this switch are many:

• As your user base grows, eprescribing fees grow too
• Bring features in-house makes it easier to respond to specific customer needs
• A third-party solution is a risk, as you never can be sure what will happen in the market

One of the first steps in building your own eprescriber is to find a data provider who can supply you with medication lists and other information that Surescripts requires to certify your tool. Lexicomp is one such provider. They've been focused on providing drug data direct to clinicians for over thirty years, but now they can also supply you with database-ready information to power an eprescriber.

Lexicomp's customers have used their data to certify EMRs and EHRs with ONC testing bodies like Drummond, CCHIT, and Infogard. Their customers have also certified eprescribers using Lexicomp data with Surescripts. And best of all, Lexicomp's flexible pricing and easy implementation allows firms of all sizes to get up and running smoothly and quickly.

Contact Lexicomp using the links on this page today for more information.

Looking to differentiate your EHR?  Why not consider providing calculators that have been requested by thousands of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and dentists for years through Lexicomp's online and mobile solutions.  With Lexi-Data, you have the ability to choose the ones that are relevant to your users and we will provide you with the logic needed to embed these useful tools into your system.

But that's not all!  Lexi-Data can also help you meet several aspects of clinical decision support required for certification. Here's just a couple of the ways:

• Drug Interaction Data - we'll provide your system data that enables clinicians to screen for drug interactions, including drug-allergy, drug-drug and drug-food

• RxNorm Mapping - we promote interoperability through mapping to industry standard RxNorm

• Drug Reference Data - integrate drug reference information, such as drug images and black box warnings, into your system

For the full list, click here.

As EHR vendors find their products growing and signing up more users, many start to think about moving from using a third-party eprescribing solution to building their own. The reasons for making this switch are many:

• As your user base grows, eprescribing fees grow too
• Bring features in-house makes it easier to respond to specific customer needs
• A third-party solution is a risk, as you never can be sure what will happen in the market

One of the first steps in building your own eprescriber is to find a data provider who can supply you with medication lists and other information that Surescripts requires to certify your tool. Lexicomp is one such provider. They've been focused on providing drug data direct to clinicians for over thirty years, but now they can also supply you with database-ready information to power an eprescriber.

Lexicomp's customers have used their data to certify EMRs and EHRs with ONC testing bodies like Drummond, CCHIT, and Infogard. Their customers have also certified eprescribers using Lexicomp data with Surescripts. And best of all, Lexicomp's flexible pricing and easy implementation allows firms of all sizes to get up and running smoothly and quickly.

Contact Lexicomp using the links on this page today for more information.

Why I am repeating a headline from last week and some similar content?  Because it seems to resonate with those folks who are making the critical decisions on their EMR development and their need to include the best drug information,  along with the best vendor support. 

As I wrote:

Are you the owner or manager of an ambulatory EMR company?   What keeps you up late at night?   Worried about getting your product to the market as quickly as possible and keeping your costs under control?  Worried about certification?   No doubt you have some thoughts about reducing medical errors by including the best drug information and internal built-in logic.   More and more EMR and EHR  business owners and general managers are turning to Lexicomp to solve their drug information needs.

In a few short years,  Lexicomp has been the fastest growing provider of drug information to the EMR market.  As I said in a previous post:

In addition to supplying the expected information such as drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions,  adverse drug events,  RxNorm mapping,  generic drug lists,  drug nomenclature,  and more.  Lexi-Data offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and API's and most importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexi is on your list.

Some of my colleagues have asked me to re-post my blog from last week.  So I will do so.

Are you the owner or manager of an ambulatory EMR company?   What keeps you up late at night?   Worried about getting your product to the market as quickly as possible and keeping your costs under control?  Worried about certification?   No doubt you have some thoughts about reducing medical errors by including the best drug information and internal built in logic.   More and more EMR and EHR  business owners and general managers are turning to Lexicomp to solve their drug information needs.

In a few short years,  Lexicomp has been the fastest growing provider of drug information to the EMR market.  As I said in a previous post:

" In addition to supplying the expected information such as drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions,  adverse drug events,  RxNorm mapping,  generic drug lists,  drug nomenclature,  and more.  Lexi-Data offers an incredibly easy to use data structure and API's and most importantly,  Lexicomp is unparalleled in its customer service and providing assistance in the development process. If you are developing a new EMR and need a drug information supplier, make sure that Lexi is on your list.