Canada's First ePrescribing Program Launches in Ontario
Saturday, 16 May 2009
ePrescribing is the process of generating, authorizing and transmitting prescriptions from doctors and other prescribers to pharmacists and other dispensers. It eliminates handwritten prescriptions by physicians and facilitates the electronic delivery of prescriptions to pharmacies.
Two sites have been selected for the ePrescribing Demonstration Project: The Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie and Georgian Bay Family Health Team in Collingwood.
Through the two sites, eHealth Ontario will examine workflow, change management requirements, regulation guidelines and the impact on physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and patients. The project will help inform future implementation of a provincewide ePrescribing system.
This new tool is a key component of eHealth Ontario’s Medication Management strategy and is expected to dramatically improve patient safety and quality of care by reducing
prescription errors.
"ePrescribing is a integral part of our eHealth Strategy, which is all about providing 21st century health care to Ontario patients. Lessons learned from this program will be used to inform the implementation and adoption strategies for a provide-wide ePrescribing solution," mentioned David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.
Sarah Kramer, President and CEO, eHealth Ontario, added "Every year, an estimated 400,000 Ontarians suffer a preventable reaction to medication. Four thousand will die as a result. We expect the ePrescribing Demonstration Program will reduce the chance of errors and adverse drug reactions ensuring better care for patients requiring prescriptions."
Thoughts, comments, news, and reflections about healthcare IT from Microsoft's worldwide health senior director Bill Crounse, MD, on how information technology can improve healthcare delivery and services around the world.
