Electronic medical record (EMR) systems and e-prescribing by physicians have the potential to reduce the incidence of medical errors and to improve the provision of care to patients through better compliance with recommended standards, improved coordination of care, and ready access to current information. 1, 2 In 2008, after a national survey , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C...

BACKGROUND Even though electronic prescribing systems are widely advocated as one of the most effective means of improving patient safety, they may also introduce new risks that are not immediately obvious. Through the study of specific incidents related to the processes involved in the administration of medication, we sought to find out if the prescribing system had unintended consequences in ...

BACKGROUND Health information technology (HIT), notably e-prescribing and electronic health records (EHR), have the potential to improve the quality of care, reduce medication errors and adverse events, and decrease overall health care utilization and costs. However, the United States continues to lag behind other countries in the adoption and use of HIT. OBJECTIVE To review the various issue...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Information technology such as electronic medical records (EMRs), electronic prescribing and decision support systems are recognized as essential tools in Europe, the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. But significant barriers impede wide-scale adoption of these tools, especially EMR systems. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to investigate the present...

BACKGROUND The penetration rate of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems in health care is increasing. However, many different EHR-systems are used with varying ePrescription designs and functionalities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate experienced ePrescribers' attitudes towards ePrescribing for suggesting improvements. METHODS Physicians (n = 431) from seven out of the 21 Swedi...

Clinical decision support (CDS) in electronic prescribing (eRx) systems can improve the safety, quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of care. However, at present, these potential benefits have not been fully realized. In this consensus white paper, we set forth recommendations and action plans in three critical domains: (1) advances in system capabilities, including basic and advanced se...

The legal framework in South Africa (SA) provides for strict requirements regarding prescriptions. However, pharmacists are still confronted daily with illegible handwritten scripts, increasing the risk of medication errors. E-prescribing is being implemented in SA to overcome these disadvantages. The general regulations made in terms of the Medicines and Related Substances Act as well as the E...

BACKGROUND The overuse of antimicrobials is recognized as the main selective pressure driving the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in human bacterial pathogens. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections presented in primary care and empirical antimicrobial treatment is currently recommended. Previous research has identified that a substantial proportio...

BACKGROUND Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) confers no benefit for many people with type 2 diabetes not being treated with insulin. It accounts for 21% of diabetes prescribing costs. AIM To improve care quality at reduced cost for type 2 diabetes by reducing unnecessary SMBG. DESIGN AND SETTING Non-randomised, observational controlled study in two intervention clinical commissioning ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Antiviral medications cost-effectively reduce influenza-related morbidity and potentially mortality. We sought to assess the appropriateness of antiviral prescribing for influenza. METHOD We performed a retrospective analysis of visits by adults to primary care clinics during influenza seasons from 1 October 2000 to 31 May 2004 with a claims diagnosis of influenza (n=...