A03896 Summary:

BILL NO    A03896 

SAME AS    Same as S 1752

SPONSOR    Mayersohn

COSPNSR    

MLTSPNSR   

Amd S6810, Ed L; amd S3332, Pub Health L

Requires prescriptions to be typewritten, electronically printed or handwritten
in ink or indelible pencil in a legible manner; requires that handwritten
prescriptions shall only be written in print letters; prohibits the use of
script letters in handwritten prescriptions.

A03896 Actions:

BILL NO    A03896 

01/28/2009 referred to higher education
01/06/2010 referred to higher education

A03896 Votes:

A03896 Memo:

 BILL NUMBER:  A3896

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law and the public
health law, in relation to requiring certain prescriptions to be
typewritten

 PURPOSE :  Requires that prescriptions shall be typewritten,
electronically printed or handwritten in ink or indelible pencil in a
legible manner.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :  Subdivision 8 of section 6810 of the
education law, as added by chapter 626 of the laws of 1985 is amended.
The opening paragraph of subdivision 2 of section 3332 of the public
health law as amended by chapter 537 of the laws of 1998 is amended.

 JUSTIFICATION :  In this era of skyrocketing malpractice insurance
premiums, avoiding prescription error not only safeguards patient
safety, but protects the doctor as well.

Typewritten or carefully printed prescriptions will lead to a safer
environment in the interaction between physicians, pharmacists and
other health-care providers. This legislation does not require
advanced computer systems for prescription writing but only mandates
that prescriptions be typed or printed legibly. Typing out
prescriptions dramatically reduces errors.

To many patients and, unfortunately, pharmacists, handwriting often
looks like a secret code between the physician and the druggist.
Unfortunately, those scribbles are sometimes exactly what they appear
to be, sloppy handwriting and unintelligible.

In 1999, a report by the Congressionally chartered Institute of
Medicine estimated that medical errors kill 44,000 - 98,000 people
annually. The institute recommended that handwritten prescriptions and
other medical information be eliminated.

While the vast majority of prescriptions are written and interpreted
correctly, common sense dictates that typewritten prescriptions will
insure even more accurate readings. Pharmacists should be especially
appreciative of more easily read prescription forms. Typewritten
prescriptions only take about 2 minutes per order compared to 15
seconds for writing one, but the advantage far outweighs any extra
moments involved.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
2003-04: A.10391/S.6498 - referred to Higher Ed in both houses.
2005-06:  A.4437/S.2231 - Referred to Higher Ed in both houses.
2007-08:  A.4814/S.2667 - Referred to Higher Ed in both houses.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :  None to the state but litigation would be
reduced, resulting in unknown savings to our court system.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :  This act shall take effect on the two hundred
seventieth day after it shall have become a law.