As technological breakthroughs transform various industries, the healthcare industry is experiencing its own transformation: the automation of the process of medical prescriptions. The US government implemented electronic prescribing (known as e-prescribing or e-Rx) in the year 2009. E-prescribing software has made medications much more affordable and accessible to the patients. Let’s have a look at the top 5 benefits of e-Rx for the patients, and how e-Rx improves the quality of healthcare.

According to a 2010 study cited by the New York Times, 37 percent of handwritten prescriptions have errors, while a shocking 88 percent of the prescriptions were not fully legible. Such statistics highlight the need for a better prescription system. They underscore the level of risk that handwritten prescriptions pose to the patient, who might receive the wrong dosage, or even the wrong drug, resulting in harm to their health, and in some cases, death.

Provides education material

e-Rx software can list the medications that a patient is taking, and provide reference information on a particular drug, such as the dos and don’ts of consuming it, the compositions, warnings, etc. The software can let the patient know the hazards of mixing a particular drug with another. The e-prescribing software benefits patients by providing information they would otherwise not know about their medications and their interactions.

Saves the precious time

Before e-Rx, the patient sometimes had to wait a long time to get their prescriptions from their physician. Now, they can now go directly to the local pharmacy, and their prescriptions will be ready and waiting to go. It also prevents delays caused by a misspelled or poorly handwritten prescription, where the pharmacy has no choice but to check with the prescriber.

Helps patients adhere to their medication

With e-Rx, refills can be easily automated according to scheduled dates. This scheduling prevents the patients from running out of their medications and helps the patient remain compliant with their prescribed medications. This also removes the need for a patient to drop off a copy of their prescription at the pharmacy and saves them effort - an important consideration for the patients who are ill and unable to make these visit the pharmacy themselves.

Helps cut unnecessary costs

Patients can use e-prescribing software to look for more affordable alternatives to their prescribed medications. They can search for the medicines with the exact same compositions, but that available at a cheaper rate. Most of the health institutions have certain pharmaceutical brands affiliated to them and tend prescribe a relatively expensive medicine because of this affiliation. e-Rx helps a patient know the other options available to them, so they can select options that suit their pockets.

Promotes the patient safety

The e-Rx solution improves patient safety in numerous ways. Suppose a patient forgets to mention a drug that they have been consuming, and a newly prescribed drug could cause a hazardous drug interaction between the two. The medication record maintained in the e-Rx Software can help a pharmacist figure out the right medications for the patient, and help to educate patients how to take their medications properly.
E-prescribing proves its value when it prevents the patient from receiving a wrong dosage of some medication, or a whole wrong drug altogether. With the prescription neatly recorded in a standard format, and clear computer text, it’s easier for the pharmacy to prepare and deliver the prescription.