Sprint Provides Free, Customized Smartphones for the National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and CHICAGO, July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Studies indicate that a key barrier to the adoption of electronic prescribing is the reluctance of physicians to change their workflow of pulling out a prescription pad and handing patients a paper prescription. Through a new initiative launched by Sprint and Allscripts , physicians now have the option to use a Sprint smartphone to generate electronic prescriptions, without physically leaving the exam room.

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As part of this new initiative, Sprint will donate a customized PCS Vision(SM) Smart Device PPC-6700 to 1,000 licensed prescribers who register for the National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative(SM) (NEPSI SM) and activate NEPSI's Web-based eRx NOW(SM) electronic prescribing software before September 15, 2007. Recipients of the smartphone will also benefit from a 15 percent discount on the required Sprint two-year voice and data plans.

"Physicians are a mobile workforce and they need tools that let them function without being restricted to a desk and computer," said Bill Montgomery, national director of healthcare for Sprint. "The ability to ePrescribe through a customized Sprint smartphone will allow physicians to increase their workflow substantially and enhance their productivity while reducing errors, resulting in improved patient care."

Allscripts and Sprint are making it even simpler for physicians to electronically prescribe by embedding a "smart e-button" directly onto the phone's screen, allowing prescribers to launch directly into the eRx NOW application with one touch. The PPC-6700 includes Windows Mobile 5.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and broadband-like speed capability.

"As a solo practitioner, I have found that eRx NOW saves me time and also increases patient safety by informing me of any drug interactions or problems with formulary adherence," said Steven Zuckerman, MD, a solo-practice neurologist in Baton Rogue, LA and a juror for the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology. "I am particularly excited about the Sprint offering because now I will be able to extend the function of NEPSI to wherever and whenever I interact with patients, whether in my office exam room, at the hospital bedside or even at home while on call."

The NEPSI program is a coalition of the nation's leading healthcare and technology companies, including Allscripts and Sprint, who joined in an effort to improve patient safety by offering free electronic prescribing technology to every physician in America.

"Medication errors represent a significant challenge for our nation and we know we can and we must do better by taking action -- right now," said Glen Tullman, Co-Chair of NEPSI and Chief Executive Officer of Allscripts. "We're thankful that Sprint has stepped up to offer this substantial encouragement for healthcare providers to join NEPSI in realizing its remarkable vision -- that providing free electronic prescribing for every provider will ultimately reduce errors and improve care for millions of Americans."

The NEPSI coalition was launched in January to address the public crisis surrounding preventable medication errors, which injure at least 1.5 million Americans and claim more than 7,000 lives each year, according to a July 2006 study by the nonprofit Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM report called on all of the nation's physicians to adopt electronic prescribing, which has been shown to prevent such errors. NEPSI provides simple, safe and secure electronic prescribing at no cost.

The coalition's sponsors include co-leaders Allscripts and Dell Computers; technology sponsors Cisco, Fujitsu, and Microsoft; healthcare sponsors Aetna, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, NaviMedix, Smart ID Works, and WellPoint; information sponsor Wolters Kluwer Health; connectivity sponsors SureScripts and eRx Networks; search sponsor Google; and Sprint.

The backbone of the NEPSI program is eRx NOW, web-based software from Allscripts powered by the same engine that more than 30,000 physicians use to write millions of electronic prescriptions each year. Designed to appeal to physicians in solo practice or small groups, eRx NOW is available free to any healthcare provider with legal authority to prescribe medications, and requires no download, no new hardware, and minimal training. The product can quickly generate secure electronic prescriptions from any web-enabled computer, phone or other device and deliver them computer-to-computer or via electronic fax to nearly 70,000 retail pharmacies -- more than 95 percent of all U.S. pharmacies -- via SureScripts and eRx Networks. All prescriptions are instantly checked for potentially harmful interactions with a patient's other medications using a real-time complete medication database provided by Wolters Kluwer Health, as well as real-time notification of insurance formulary status from leading payers, plans and pharmacy benefit managers. Clinicians also can use eRx NOW to search and find targeted health-related information for themselves or patients using the NEPSI Custom Search Engine from Google.

Physicians who are interested in taking advantage of this offer can visit the NEPSI web site, http://www.nationalerx.com/ to register for the program.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving 53.6 million customers at the end of first-quarter 2007; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/.

About NEPSI

The National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative (NEPSI) is a coalition of the nation's most prominent technology companies and leading healthcare organizations dedicated to improving patient safety by providing free access to simple, safe and secure electronic prescribing for every physician in America. The coalition is led by Allscripts and national sponsor Dell, as well as sponsors Aetna, Cisco Systems, Fujitsu, Google, Microsoft, NaviMedix, Sprint Nextel, Smart ID Works, SureScripts, eRx Networks, WellPoint, and Wolters Kluwer Health. The NEPSI offering also is supported by a growing number of academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks and physician groups across the US who are leading the rollout of the NEPSI electronic prescribing solution, eRx NOW, within their states and regions. For more information, visit NEPSI on the web at http://www.nationalerx.com/. eRx(R) is a federally registered trademark belonging to eRx Network, LLC, and Allscripts' use is pursuant to license.

About Allscripts

Allscripts is the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare. The Company's business units provide unique solutions that inform, connect and transform healthcare. Allscripts award-winning software applications include Electronic Health Records, practice management, e-prescribing, document imaging, emergency department, and care management solutions, all offered through the Company's Clinical Solutions units. Additionally, Allscripts provides clinical product education and connectivity solutions for physicians and patients through its Physicians Interactive(TM) unit, and medication fulfillment services through its Medication Services unit. To learn more, visit Allscripts on the web at http://www.allscripts.com/.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements about Allscripts Healthcare Solutions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are developed by combining currently available information with Allscripts beliefs and assumptions. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance. Because Allscripts cannot predict all of the risks and uncertainties that may affect it, or control the ones it does predict, Allscripts' actual results may be materially different from the results expressed in its forward-looking statements. For a more complete discussion of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may affect Allscripts, see the Company's 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K, available through the Web site maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov/.