BOSTON -- A deadline is looming for doctors to ditch their paper prescription pads. In January, Medicare will start phasing in a requirement for electronic prescribing.

Doctors Turning Toward E-Prescriptions

NewsCenter 5's Kelley Tuthill reported that Medicare is hosting a national conference this week in Boston.

Dr. Thomas Sullivan got rid of his paper prescription pad five years ago. He said electronic prescribing is more efficient and safe.

"It's being able to look up other drugs and have a pop up that says if an interaction could be harmful," Sullivan said.

Sullivan now feels more confident that the patients in his Danvers cardiology practice will get the right prescription at the pharmacy.

"One of the biggest benefits is reducing the problem of interpreting the doctor's handwriting," Sullivan said.

At a conference this week in Boston, doctors, practice managers and pharmacies will be encouraged to use e-prescribing. In fact, starting in January Medicare will begin phasing in an e-prescription mandate.

Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of e-prescription, but it's only 13 percent. Clearly, there's still a lot of work to do

Barriers to e-prescribing include costs of $500 to $2,500 a year. That's one reason the federal government is offering bonuses for the first few years.

Sullivan said going paperless makes sense for all involved.

"Patients, doctors, hospitals, health plans all win with this. It's the right way to go," Sullivan said.