While physician practices and pharmacies reported satisfaction with electronic prescribing and perceived greater efficiency and patient safety, inconsistent electronic renewals created barriers to optimal use, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
Researchers conducted 114 telephone interviews with representatives from physician practices and pharmacies actively transmitting or receiving e-prescriptions. More than two-thirds of physician practices estimated sending at least 70 percent of prescriptions electronically, but more than half of community pharmacists estimated receiving fewer than 15 percent of prescriptions electronically. The authors suggested the rate was low because many physicians did not transmit any prescriptions electronically and pharmacies received many computer-generated prescriptions that were faxed or printed.
Practices and pharmacies were generally satisfied with e-prescribing, but the electronic renewal process was less consistently successful and harder to integrate into workflows, creating inefficiencies, according to the study. The authors suggested changes in technical standards and system design and more targeted training may be necessary to resolve problems with e-renewals.
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Researchers conducted 114 telephone interviews with representatives from physician practices and pharmacies actively transmitting or receiving e-prescriptions. More than two-thirds of physician practices estimated sending at least 70 percent of prescriptions electronically, but more than half of community pharmacists estimated receiving fewer than 15 percent of prescriptions electronically. The authors suggested the rate was low because many physicians did not transmit any prescriptions electronically and pharmacies received many computer-generated prescriptions that were faxed or printed.
Practices and pharmacies were generally satisfied with e-prescribing, but the electronic renewal process was less consistently successful and harder to integrate into workflows, creating inefficiencies, according to the study. The authors suggested changes in technical standards and system design and more targeted training may be necessary to resolve problems with e-renewals.
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More Than Half of U.S. Office-Based Physicians Use E-Prescribing SystemsKentucky to Share E-Prescribing Data With Other States to Curb Drug Abuse
Study: Effective E-Prescribing Requires Redesigned Work Processes, Technical Support