Dispensing Prescriptions Via Electronic Methods Is Growing Trend
By Megan Williams, contributing writer
An increase in e-prescribing can provide ROI for your healthcare IT customers in a number of ways, including improved safety and cost savings.
Paul Naismith, CEO of Fred IT, explains, “Patient safety is improved as a result of the fact that patient and medication information is provided electronically by the GP, rather than being retyped by pharmacists. Electronic prescriptions provide the entire healthcare team with up-to-date, accurate information, which improves decision-making.”
He continues, “This is only the beginning. Now that electronic prescriptions are part of professional practice, the health sectors will be able to continue innovating and improving outcomes for patients and professionals. The next, and perhaps most exciting chapter, will be working towards paperless prescription options.”
Australian site, Pulse IT Magazine, reports 87 percent of pharmacies, and 72 percent of doctors use electronic prescriptions, and that 80 percent of all prescriptions are dispensed electronically, as opposed to manually.
FDA Pushes e-Prescribing In The U.S.
Just as the use of e-prescribing is growing in Australia, the U.S. government is taking steps to encourage the same progress here.
According to EHR Intelligence, the FDA has issued a rule that would make necessary the use of electronic transmission of certain types of prescription information. It would do this by changing existing labeling regulations for biologics, prescription drugs, and drug products, and requiring that information that is now included on the packaging, be sent electronically to providers.
The primary purpose of the rule is addressing the very real possibility that instructions that are printed on products may fail to reflect up-to-date safety and usage instructions. Since electronic labels can be refreshed in real time, the potential for error and misinformation is reduced.
According to the rule, “FDA is taking this action to ensure that the most current prescribing information for prescription drugs will be available and readily accessible to health care professionals at the time of clinical decision-making and dispensing.”
The rule would exclude patient package inserts, patient-facing medication guides and promotional label information. The updated containers would contain language directing users to the FDA’s publicly available website.
In addition to added safety, the agency is expecting industry-wide cost savings because of the switch, with an expected return of between $52 million and $164 million across 10 years. This does not include savings due to reductions in adverse reactions or other public health issues.
“Given the time necessary for industry to make preparations needed to comply with this regulation, FDA is proposing an effective date of 6 months after the publication date of the final rule in the Federal Register and a compliance date of 2 years after the date of publication of the final rule.”
Going Deeper
To read more about the intersection of technology and the pharmaceutical space, read “EHRs In Pharmacies Open Doors To New Tech Solutions.”