E-Prescribing Technologies
Reduces Errors
Handwritten prescriptions are prone to mistakes because pharmacists often have a difficult time reading a physician’s handwriting. Another cause of errors is the fact that physicians often do not have access to a complete an accurate medication list for the patient. As a result, it’s estimated that 530,000 adverse drug events involving just Medicare beneficiaries occur each year, and 1.5 million Americans are injured annually by drug errors. Tragically, 7,000 die. With E-prescribing technology, pharmacists and healthcare providers are alerted when a potentially dangerous drug combination is detected. And reading a physician’s handwriting is no longer an issue.
Improves Workflow Efficiencies
Contact by phone for clarification about a patient’s other medications is time-consuming for both parties. Indeed, almost 30 percent of prescriptions require pharmacy callbacks. E-prescribing technology reduces the number of questions by giving pharmacists the ability to check the prescription electronically as well as access important patient information. For example, they can check for drug-drug interactions and for drug-allergy interactions. The entire process of filling a prescription becomes faster, smoother and more efficient.
Saves a Ton of Money
Recent studies have suggested that almost $27 billion could be saved if electronic prescription became universal in the United States by preventing adverse drug events and by utilizing drugs more effectively, for example, offering generics when available and eliminating duplications.
