Special features

Electronic prescribing — implications for hospital pharmacy

By Ann Slee, MSc, MRPharmS, Keith Farrar, MPharm, MRPharmS, Don Hughes MSc, MRPharmS, and Sue Ashwell MSc, MCPP

Evidence shows that there is much to be gained from electronic prescribing, but there are also risks involved. This article describes the benefits and challenges to hospital pharmacists of the introduction of this technology

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Ann Slee is clinical lead, ePrescribing programme, at NHS Connecting for Health

Keith Farrar is clinical lead, ePrescribing, Computer Sciences Corporation

Don Hughes is director of pharmacy, Conwy and Denbigshire NHS Trust

Sue Ashwell is chief pharmacist and assistant director of commissioning, Cambridgeshire Primary Care Trust

Correspondence to
ann.slee@nhs.net

Electronic prescribing

SUMMARY

Electronic prescribing (ePrescribing) has been heralded as bringing major benefits to patients by reducing the incidence of medication errors and improving communication about medicines. It will also support clinical activity by interacting with knowledge sources and providing decision support at the point of prescribing or administration

While it is clear that there is much to gain from ePrescribing, there are also cautionary tales of instances where such systems have actually increased error rates and have needed to be removed.

The introduction of ePrescribing should be seen as an enabler supporting the development of new ways of working, not as an all-powerful technology that dictates how work should be undertaken. It should facilitate and support change, not require that practice be altered to allow system use.

All too frequently, the implementation of technology fails to deliver benefit because the system does not meet needs, or has not been viewed as a way of supporting development. Equally a lack of clinical engagement and leadership within an organisation and a failure to manage the cultural changes required may contribute to less than optimal gain from systems.

The introduction of ePrescribing has implications for hospital pharmacy. This article examines these, looking at the benefits and challenges of implementing this technology. Issues such as how the introduction of ePrescribing is likely to alter current medicines management practice in the UK, what underpinning work will be required and how the profession can avoid falling into the trap of having practice dictated by technology are considered.

Full text article PDF (80K)