The NY Times (free login required) is reporting that ‘Three companies that operate
most of the nation’s managed
care drug plans agreed yesterday to
establish a joint system to make it
easier for doctors to send
prescriptions to pharmacies
electronically or over the Internet.

The three companies –
AdvancePCS, Express Scripts and
the Merck-Medco unit of Merck &
Company – said the system would
improve patient safety by reducing
mistakes and misunderstandings…