CVS Health Uses Epic to Prescribe Lower-cost Medicines

Holding a bachelor of science in nursing from Edgewood College in Wisconsin, Julie Van Puffelen began her medical career as a staff nurse. In 2003, Julie Van Puffelen started working as a project manager for Epic, where she oversaw implementation of software for clinical documentation and case management at healthcare organizations nationwide.

CVS Health, an American pharmaceutical company, uses Epic to provide clinicians with reliable information on the cost of medications. With access to medical records through Epic, prescribers are now able to choose more affordable medicines. Lower-cost alternatives include generic drugs and other therapeutic medications.

Prescribers and patients alike may be unaware of other options available in the pharmaceutical market. With Epic’s real-time prescription benefit data, not only are they informed about more affordable brands, they also are provided access to insurance plan information such as required authorizations and prescription benefits.

According to CVS Health’s Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Benefit Management Innovation, prescribers tend to choose lower-cost alternatives most of the time for the sake of patient cost and convenience.