Volume 27, Issue 3 (11-2024)                   jha 2024, 27(3): 103-117 | Back to browse issues page

XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Najafi Sarband S, Amanzadeh M, Naimi R, Mohammad Shahi J, Mahdavi A. Benefits and challenges of electronic pharmaceutical prescriptions. jha 2024; 27 (3) :103-117
URL: http://jha.iums.ac.ir/article-1-4559-en.html
1- Department of Health Information Management, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
2- Department of Infectious Disease, School Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran. , a.mahdavi@arums.ac.ir
Abstract:   (62 Views)
Introduction: Public health policies place significant emphasis on the prescription process, and ongoing efforts are required to support the development of optimal and adequate prescription practices in teaching hospitals. This study aims to identify
advantages and challenges of electronic prescription in the teaching hospitals affiliated with Ardabil University of Medical Sciences.
Methods: The content analysis approach was used to conduct the current qualitative investigation in 2023. Four beneficiaries (physicians, pharmacy technicians, patients, and insurance experts) participated in this study to analyze the benefits and challenges of electronic prescription. These beneficiaries were purposefully engaged in the interviews. MAXQDA2020 software was used for data analysis.
Results: Participants’ perspectives indicate that the most important benefits are reducing medication errors by eliminating the illegibility of medication orders and enhancing the security and confidentiality of information. The intermittent interruptions, slow internet speed, incomplete infrastructure, difficulty in searching for drugs, lack of warnings regarding drug interactions, and inadequate connection with clinical decision support systems are also the main challenges of this system.
Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the implementation of the electronic prescribing system is essential for enhancing the healthcare system. It is necessary to effectively introduce the benefits of this system and provide the required training in various formats for proper usage by the users. Continuous communication with users and receiving their feedback will lead to the successful implementation of electronic prescription and help eliminate the negative aspects of the system.
Full-Text [PDF 958 kb]   (31 Downloads) |   |   Full-Text (HTML)  (3 Views)  
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Health Information Management
Received: 2024/07/1 | Accepted: 2025/05/21 | Published: 2025/06/7

پیوست [PDF 321 KB]  (3 Download)
References
1. Bulut S, Yıldız A, Kaya S. Evaluation of transition to electronic prescriptions in Turkey: perspective of family physicians. International Journal of Health Policy and Management. 2018;8(1):40-48. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2018.89 [DOI:10.15171/ijhpm.2018.89]
2. Jebraeily M, Rashidi A, Mohitmafi T, Muossazadeh R. Evaluation of outpatient electronic prescription system capabilities from the perspective of physicians in specialized polyclinics of Urmia social security organization. Journal of Payavard Salamat. 2021;14(6):557-568. [In Persian]. Available form: http://payavard.tums.ac.ir/article-1-7062-en.html
3. Kauppinen H, Ahonen R, Timonen J. The impact of electronic prescriptions on medication safety in Finnish community pharmacies: a survey of pharmacists. International Journal of Medical Informatics. 2017;100:56-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2017.01.014 [DOI:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2017.01.014]
4. Albarrak AI, Al Rashidi EA, Fatani RK, Al Ageel SI, Mohammed R. Assessment of legibility and completeness of handwritten and electronic prescriptions. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. 2014;22(6):522-527. [DOI:10.1016/j.jsps.2014.02.013]
5. Kenawy AS, Kett V. The impact of electronic prescription on reducing medication errors in an egyptian outpatient clinic. International Journal of Medical Informatics. 2019;127:80-87. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.04.005 [DOI:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.04.005]
6. Samadbeik M, Ahmadi M, Asanjan SMH. A theoretical approach to electronic prescription system: lesson learned from literature review. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal. 2013;15(10):e8436. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.8436 [DOI:10.5812/ircmj.8436]
7. Almutairi BA, Potts HW, Al-Azmi SF. Physicians' perceptions of electronic prescribing with electronic medical records in Kuwaiti primary healthcare centres. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2019;18(4):e476. doi: 10.18295/squmj.2018.18.04.008 [DOI:10.18295/squmj.2018.18.04.008]
8. Motulsky A, Lamothe L, Sicotte C. Impacts of second-generation electronic prescriptions on the medication management process in primary care: A systematic review. International Journal of Medical Informatics. 2013;82(6):473-91. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2013.01.012 [DOI:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2013.01.012]
9. Samadbeik M, Ahmadi M, Sadoughi F, Garavand A. 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. doi: 10.22037/ijpr.2019.1100801
10. Amlashi SRA, Leyli EK, Sheikhtaheri A. Physicians' and pharmacists' viewpoint on ambulatory electronic prescription system.Journal of Health Administration 2022, 25(3):108-124. [In Persian]. doi: ‎ 10.22034/25.3.108
11. Hosseini H, Khajouie R, MiriAliabadi F. A study on physicians' attitude toward computerized physician order entry system. Payesh (Health Monitor)Journal. 2015;14(4):411-419. Available form: http://payeshjournal.ir/article-1-223-en.html
12. Zarour K, Fetni MO, Belagrouz S. Towards electronic prescription system in a developing country. Applied Medical Informatics, Technology Platform. 2021;43(1):56-67. Available from: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4804444
13. Ai A, Wong A, Amato M, Wright A. Communication failure: analysis of prescribers' use of an internal free-text field on electronic prescriptions. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. 2018;25(6):709-714. [DOI:10.1093/jamia/ocy003]
14. Palappallil DS, Pinheiro C. Perceptions of prescribers towards electronic prescription: a pre-implementation evaluation. Journal of Young Pharmacists. 2018;10(3):313-317. https://dx.doi.org/10.5530/jyp.2018.10.69 [DOI:10.5530/jyp.2018.10.69]
15. Hailiye Teferi G, Wonde TE, Tadele MM, Assaye BT, Hordofa ZR, Ahmed MH, et al. Perception of physicians towards electronic prescription system and associated factors at resource limited setting 2021: cross sectional study. PloS One. 2022;17(3):e0262759. [DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0262759]
16. Lanham AE, Cochran GL, Klepser DG. Electronic prescriptions: opportunities and challenges for the patient and pharmacist. Advanced Health Care Technologies. 2016:1-11. doi: 10.2147/AHCT.S64477 [DOI:10.2147/AHCT.S64477]
17. Khammarnia M, Mehdipour Y, Ebrahimi S, Hakimi D, Sotodezadeh F. The impact of computerized physician order entry system on the quality of health services: the viewpoints of physicians and nurses. Journal of Health and Biomedical Informatics. 2016;3(3):166-173. [In Persian]. Available form: http://jhbmi.ir/article-1-164-en.html
18. Ayaz S, Naqvi A, Branch G, editors. The role of e-prescribing in health care. 2015 Internet Technologies and Applications (ITA); 2015: IEEE.315-319. doi: 10.1109/ITechA.2015.7317416 [DOI:10.1109/ITechA.2015.7317416]
19. Eltajoury M.W, M. Maatuk A, Denna I, K. Elberkawi E, editors. Physicians' attitudes towards electronic prescribing software: perceived benefits and barriers. International Conference on Data Science, E-learning and Information Systems 2021; 47-53. [DOI:10.1145/3460620.3460629]
20. Osmani F, Arab-Zozani M, Shahali Z, Lotfi F, editors. Evaluation of the effectiveness of electronic prescription in reducing medical and medical errors (systematic review study). Annales Pharmaceutiques Françaises; 2023, 81(3): 433-445. doi: 10.1016/j.pharma.2022.12.002 [DOI:10.1016/j.pharma.2022.12.002]
21. Gagnon M-P, Nsangou É-R, Payne-Gagnon J, Grenier S, Sicotte C. Barriers and facilitators to implementing electronic prescription: a systematic review of user groups' perceptions. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. 2014;21(3):535-541. doi: 10.1136/amiajnl-2013-002203 [DOI:10.1136/amiajnl-2013-002203]
22. Oravainen T, Airaksinen M, Hannula K, Kvarnström K. How physicians renew electronic prescriptions in primary care: Therapeutic decision or technical task? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(20):10937. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010937 [DOI:10.3390/ijerph182010937]
23. Tan T, Chan S, Ind M, Pace G, Bailey J, Reed K, et al. Benefits and challenges of electronic prescribing for general practitioners and pharmacists in regional Australia. Australian Journal of Rural Health. 2023;31(4):776-781. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12999 [DOI:10.1111/ajr.12999]
24. Samadbeik M, Ahmadi M, Sadoughi F. An Applied review model of electronic prescription system in‎ developed countries. Journal of Clinical Research in Paramedical Sciences. 2016;5(2). e81456. Available form: https://brieflands.com/articles/jcrps-81456
25. Borhani Moghani N, Meraji M, Houshmand E, Fazaeli S, Vedjani M, Ebnehosseni Z. Explaining the challenges of implementation electronic prescription from practitioners' attitudes; A qualitative study. Health Information Management. 2023;20(4):182-189. [Inpersian]. [DOI:10.48305/him.2024.42028.1136]
26. Vejdani M, Varmaghani M, Meraji M, Jamali J, Hooshmand E, Vafaee-Najar A. Electronic prescription system requirements: a scoping review. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. 2022;22(1):231. [In Persian]. [DOI:10.1186/s12911-022-01948-w]

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© 2025 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Journal of Health Administration

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb