Document Type : Letter to the Editor (Policy Brief)
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, PhD in Health Care Management, Iranian Research Center on Healthy Aging, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
2 Associate Professor, PhD in Health Information Management, Department of Health Information Technology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
3 Associate Professor, PhD in Pharmacy/Drug Economics and Management, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
4 Associate Professor, PhD in Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
5 Professor, Ph.D. in Health Care Management, Social Determinants of Health Research Center Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
In response to demographic shifts and the growing demand for healthcare services, Electronic Prescribing Systems (EPS) have been globally adopted as an efficient alternative to paper-based prescriptions. This technology not only enhances patient safety by reducing medication errors and improving accuracy, but also generates significant savings in time and administrative costs through process automation. The successful implementation of such systems requires continuous and comprehensive evaluation. However, the lack of a comprehensive and localized tool for holistic assessment has challenged evidence-based decision-making. To address this need, a mixed-methods study was conducted with the participation of key stakeholders (i.e., physicians, pharmacists, nurses, administrators, and patients themselves) to design and validate a comprehensive and reliable tool for evaluating electronic prescribing systems, comprising 11 main dimensions and 164 detailed items. In this policy brief, based on this tool, we propose recommendations for its application by policymakers, decision-makers, and senior healthcare managers, enabling it to serve as a roadmap for enhancing the quality, efficiency, and safety of the critical prescribing process.
Keywords
Main Subjects
- Samadbeik M, Ahmadi M. Electronic prescription system: concepts and standards. Health Inf Manage. 2013;6(2):312-24.
- Moniz TT, Seger AC, Keohane CA, et al. Addition of electronic prescription transmission to computerized prescriber order entry: effect on dispensing errors in community pharmacies. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. 2011;68(2):158-63.
- Goldman RE, Dubé C, Lapane KL. Beyond the basics: refills by electronic prescribing. International journal of medical informatics. 2010;79(7):507-14.
- Lanham AE, Cochran GL, Klepser DG. Electronic prescriptions: opportunities and challenges for the patient and pharmacist. Adv Health Care Technol. 2016;2:1-11.
- Schedlbauer A, Prasad V, Mulvaney C, et al. What evidence supports the use of computerized alerts and prompts to improve clinicians' prescribing behavior? Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. 2009;16(4):531-8.
- Samadbeik M, Ahmadi M, Sadoughi F, et al. Main Elements of National Model of Electronic Prescription System from Physicians’ Point of View: A Case Study in a Developing Country. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: IJPR. 2019;18(4):2204.
- IRNA Z-. Electronic transcription from talk to action 1399 [Available from: https://www.irna.ir/news/84101092/%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%AE%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%84%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%81-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84.
- Wyatt JC, Wyatt SM. When and how to evaluate health information systems? International journal of medical informatics. 2003;69(2-3):251-9.
- Afrosheh R MREtpcapFICoNRiM, Economics and Accounting; Georgia2013.
)