On March 24, 2010 the Office of the Federal Register made an Interim Final Rule (IFR) on Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) available. This IFR contains rules that health care providers will need to follow to prescribe controlled substances electronically in accordance with the law. The Interim Final Rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Wednesday, March 31, 2010. There will be a 60 day comment period once the IFR is published. View the IFR at http://www.federalregister.gov/inspection.aspx#spec_D.

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Electronic prescribing is catching on with America's physicians. According to a new report released by Surescripts, operator of the country's largest electronic prescribing network, the number of e-prescribers was close to 156,000 at the end of 2009, up from around 74,000 at the end of 2008.

According to research provided by Surescripts, the number of prescriptions routed electronically increased 181 percent between 2008 and 2009, or from 68 million to nearly 1

91 million. In addition, electronic requests for prescription benefit information grew 284 percent between 2008 and 2009, or from 79 million to 303 million.

The Surescripts network provides access to prescription benefit and history information for more than 65 percent of U.S. patients, allowed prescribers to access more than 230 million member records from participating health plans, and provided access to more than 20,000 formulary files maintained by health plans.

So, here we have this amazing network that is increasing efficiency in provider offices every day. Since the beginning of e prescribing controlled substances have been the thorn in every provider's proverbial heel. Print out more paper, sign it, and send the patient on their way. But, with the advent of level II controlled substances and usage of prescription pain killers at an all time high, providers haven't minded the extra paper work.

Now, new legislation seeks to standardize the electronic transmittal of controlled substances. My question, is this a good thing?