Electronic Prescribing
Electronic Prescribing (ePrescribing)
Introduction
Electronic prescribing (ePrescribing) systems can help improve the safety and efficiency of healthcare by aiding the choice, prescribing, administration and supply of medicines. Electronic prescribing, often abbreviated to e-prescribing or “eRx”, is a form of computer-based physician order entry (CPOE, also referred to as computerized provider order entry and computerized prescription order entry).
The safety and effectiveness of ePrescribing systems depends on all staff groups being actively engaged in their development and use. E-prescribing is meant to reduce the risks associated with traditional prescription script writing. It is also one of the major reasons for the push for electronic medical records and electronic health records.
The definition emphasizes that ePrescribing is about communication, certainly more than just prescribing, and encompasses supply and administration as well as other functions such as audit . ePrescribing involves many types of healthcare professional, and certainly not just prescribers (they maybe doctors, pharmacists or nurses). Nurses and pharmacists, alongside doctors, are the ‘obvious’ key stakeholders for functions such as administration and medicines review, but physiotherapists, dieticians and other healthcare professionals also use inpatient ePrescribing systems when they need to know about a patient’s medicines.
Who is involved with implementing ePrescribing?
Because all these healthcare professionals have an interest in using ePrescribing, the implementation of ePrescribing systems has to involve a number of clinical stakeholders as well as the Information Management and Technology (IM&T) professionals who are responsible for the technical infrastructures that support ePrescribing. But before anything it is essential that senior managers and senior clinicians are well informed about and committed to ePrescribing. Without such senior support,
Introduction
Electronic prescribing (ePrescribing) systems can help improve the safety and efficiency of healthcare by aiding the choice, prescribing, administration and supply of medicines. Electronic prescribing, often abbreviated to e-prescribing or “eRx”, is a form of computer-based physician order entry (CPOE, also referred to as computerized provider order entry and computerized prescription order entry).
The safety and effectiveness of ePrescribing systems depends on all staff groups being actively engaged in their development and use. E-prescribing is meant to reduce the risks associated with traditional prescription script writing. It is also one of the major reasons for the push for electronic medical records and electronic health records.
The definition emphasizes that ePrescribing is about communication, certainly more than just prescribing, and encompasses supply and administration as well as other functions such as audit . ePrescribing involves many types of healthcare professional, and certainly not just prescribers (they maybe doctors, pharmacists or nurses). Nurses and pharmacists, alongside doctors, are the ‘obvious’ key stakeholders for functions such as administration and medicines review, but physiotherapists, dieticians and other healthcare professionals also use inpatient ePrescribing systems when they need to know about a patient’s medicines.
Who is involved with implementing ePrescribing?
Because all these healthcare professionals have an interest in using ePrescribing, the implementation of ePrescribing systems has to involve a number of clinical stakeholders as well as the Information Management and Technology (IM&T) professionals who are responsible for the technical infrastructures that support ePrescribing. But before anything it is essential that senior managers and senior clinicians are well informed about and committed to ePrescribing. Without such senior support,
References: file:///H:/stephen/Electronic%20prescribing%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm file:///H:/stephen/OpenClinical%20%20e-prescribing.htm file:///H:/stephen/What%20is%20E-prescribing%20and%20What%20are%20the%20benefits%20.htm file:///H:/stephen/OpenClinical%20%20e-prescribing.htm