erck-Medco has long been a leader in developing and implementing innovative solutions to help plan sponsors meet their dual goals of providing high-quality, yet affordable prescription drug care.

Achieving these goals is more challenging than ever. Factors such as the introduction of new drugs for previously untreatable conditions and the aging of the nation’s “baby boomers” put tremendous pressure on budgets for prescription drug benefits.

One way Merck-Medco works with health care providers and plan sponsors to meet this challenge is by applying our clinical expertise and information management capabilities through new communications technologies.

For instance, we are working with hundreds of physicians to assess a variety of emerging “point-of-care” technologies. Some of these enable doctors to access important clinical and cost information while they are seeing patients. Others are being used to electronically transmit prescriptions to our mail service pharmacies. Initial results indicate these innovations will not only be useful in improving patient care and holding down costs, but will also save valuable time for physicians.

For plan members, Merck-Medco Managed Care Online provides a convenient new way to access their pharmacy benefit information, as well as a suite of pharmacy benefit services. Now, with just a few clicks of a mouse, patients can order mail service prescription refills or locate any one of about 55,000 retail pharmacies that participate in our Coordinated Care Network.

Through innovations like these, Merck-Medco is working with health care providers, plan sponsors and their members to address the need for high-quality, affordable prescription drug care.