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GEN: Electronic Prescriptions "Overdue"From: Geffrey Klein (GK6972@americanmed.com)Tue Apr 28 16:59:33 1998
Tuesday April 28 1:48 PM EDT Electronic Prescriptions "Overdue" NEW YORK (Reuters) -- No longer should a doctor's scribble on a prescription pad be used to dispense medication, according to two Chicago researchers. Computerized prescribing could correct the problems connected with handwritten prescriptions, and "...is a change that is overdue," they say. Dr. Gordon Schiff of Cook County Hospital and Dr. Donald Rucker of the University of Illinois argue that all medications should be prescribed on a computer system programmed with the patient's drug history, a drug guideline reference, and patient-specific data, according to a report in a recent issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association. With the rapid evolution of new pharmacologic agents, changing regimens,and adverse affects "-physician memory can no longer serve as a reliable bridge between research advances and clinical practice," they write. Computerized prescribing would aid in drug selection, and clinicians could instantaneously view updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Schiff and Rucker believe that computerized prescribing would also make it easier to screen for drug-drug, drug-allergy, and drug-disease interactions. "A recent investigation of 245 pharmacies found that more than 30% filled simultaneous prescriptions for potentially lethal combinations," they note in the paper. A computer-based system would also help physicians avoid dosing mistakes, and monitor and document adverse drug events and therapeutic outcomes. Schiff and Rucker warn, however, that care must be taken to develop a clinical rather than commercial tool, one that ensures patient confidentiality, professional autonomy, and accountability. And development of such a tool faces certain barriers, according to Schiff and Rucker. "Overcoming these constraints will require clinically and professionally guided vision and leadership," they conclude. SOURCE: The Journal of the American Medical Association (1998;279:1024-1029) Geffrey H Klein, MD Dept OB-GYN MacGregor Medical Association 2200 Nasa Road 1 Suite 200 Houston, Texas 77058 (713) 741-2273 ext. 2628 geffrey.klein@obgyn.net
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