QR Codes Now Accepted by 43 States To Allow Paperless Pharmacy

AKE MARY, Fla., March 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As healthcare providers begin to see the importance of digital patient engagement, VUCA Health announced today they've added Maine and New Hampshire to the list of 41 other states where pharmacies can allow their patients to opt-in to receive their medication information through an eco-friendly, digital platform in lieu of paper.

The company's "Going Green" campaign aims to address low health literacy while helping pharmacies save on costs associated with providing medication information on paper. They've been working directly with Executive Directors and State Boards of Pharmacies to advocate for a digital alternative to traditional methods of providing prescription information. The company estimates that in 2018, pharmacies in the U.S. may have spent more than $294 million on paper and toner alone.

It's no surprise to healthcare providers that patients often misplace, or intentionally discard, the multiple pages of information they get from their pharmacy. VUCA's paperless solution, called MedsOnCue, allows patients to access digital information about their medication through a QR code printed on their prescription bottle. With Google and Apple's integration of a QR code reader into their camera apps, patients can now gain digital access to information they'd normally receive on paper, by simply opening their camera app on their smartphone or any other QR code reader. Additionally, patients can access a short video about their prescription and even view a high-resolution image of their medication, reducing the chance of a dangerous error.

"Our key to addressing the nation's health literacy problem is to provide a way for patients to watch a trustworthy, quick, 2-minute video about their medications," said Richard Waithe, PharmD, President of VUCA Health. "Allowing patients to watch a video to learn about their medication is a great alternative to the stacks of papers, often in small print, they normally get with prescriptions."

The company has also been given the go-ahead by the FDA to allow for electronic delivery of mandated medication guides for certain prescriptions.

Visit www.vucahealth.com/gopaperless to see the complete list of states.