Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1119, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow for electronic record keeping by drug dispensers and for electronic prescriptions from practitioners to dispensers.

Your Committee heard testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Health, Kaiser Permanente, Hawaii Pharmacists Association, and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

Your Committee finds that electronic prescribing reduces medication errors and prescription fill time by reducing transcription errors. Electronic prescribing systems also place drug plan formularies at the prescriber's fingertips. This information aides the practitioner in appropriate drug selection at the time of prescribing, and this saves time, provides for greater formulary compliance, and reduces the cost of health care. The widespread implementation of electronic prescribing is a national health care goal and would be a significant improvement in the way medications are prescribed.

Your Committee has amended the measure to add the word "electronic" to one reference to prescriptions and by making technical, nonsubstantive changes to reflect preferred drafting style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1119, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1119, S.D. 2.