Many medical practitioners are converting to electronic medical record (EMR) systems. These systems can range in capabilities from practice management software that organizes patient records to complex, multi-agency databases that coordinate care across an entire community. One service growing in popularity is ePrescriptions, the electronic transmission of medication orders to pharmacies. Industry analysts see a number of advantages to EMR systems that include ePrescriptions.
Enhanced Patient Safety
While pharmaceuticals are of great help managing a patient's care, they can also be a source of significant danger. EMR systems that include ePrescriptions reduce or eliminate many of the risks associated with traditional prescribing methods.
Handwritten prescriptions are subject to misinterpretation. When a pharmacy can't read a prescription, the doctor's office will be contacted for clarification. However a problem occurs when the pharmacy misinterprets the doctor's notes. Incorrect medications or dosages may be dispensed, risking the patient's health.
Another danger lies in drug interactions. A patient who forgets to tell a doctor about another prescription may end up taking a second drug that may interact with the first. A central EMR system with a comprehensive history of a patient's medication alerts doctors and pharmacies to potential interactions.
Prescription Efficiency Improvements
One industry estimate states that pharmacists place over 150 million phone calls a year to physicians regarding illegible prescriptions, non-formulary drugs or potential drug interactions. This is time lost to both the pharmacy and the doctor's office.
ePrescriptions submitted through an EMR system have no problem with legibility so can be processed immediately. The prescribing physician would already have been alerted about drug interactions, formularies or other warnings the system might give about the medication and can address them in the initial order. The prescriptions can be processed without delay or confusion.
Patients get their medications more quickly. The EMR system transmits the ePrescription before the patient leaves the office and the order is ready when the patient arrives at the pharmacy. Prescriptions can also be transmitted directly to mail order pharmacies. Renewals can be handled automatically if desired by the physician.
Reduced Healthcare Costs
The improved efficiency of ePrescriptions translates to less time spent filling each prescriptions which lowers costs for both the medical facility and the pharmacy. However the financial benefits go well beyond this.
Improved efficiency means fewer incorrect prescriptions or adverse drug interactions. This reduction in negative side effects leads to lower incidence of malpractice and reduced malpractice insurance rates.
Insurance companies see greater adherence to drug formularies. They can monitor patients' pattern of dosages and refills and provide better medical management. As their costs drop, insurance companies lower their rates. Both employers and workers see reduced premiums.
The incorporation of comprehensive, multi-agency EMR systems is creating a revolution in the medical industry. Improvements in safety and efficiency allow providers to focus on medical care rather than paper work, and reduced costs help in the fight against rising healthcare costs.
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