E-drug: Electronic prescribing
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Dear Friends,
I need information on electronic prescribing in hospitals where a fully
computerised system is used. How does one validate a prescription for
being authentic?
With hand written prescriptions it is easier to ensure this. The doctor's
handwriting and signature are personal traits. Using PIN codes for the
Doctors to generate their prescriptions does make for a faster service
but how safe is this?
Just looking at the fraud at the bank ATMs in South Africa, the
fraudsters pick up one's PIN and empty out one's account. A similar
situation can arise in hospitals where partners in the health team can
enter the PIN of the doctor and do the prescribing.
Questions that come to mind are:
- How can one ensure the patient's safety using electronic
prescribing? Do hospitals use a dual system - PIN with written
verification?
- Is it true that some facilities in Britain & the USA use just the PIN
system? If so, how is the validation of the prescription achieved?
- Having worked at a hospital for 8 years, where there were a few
cases of Pethidine, Oxazepam & Propoxyphene Co and combinations
thereof of addiction (3 bad ones in the last 3 years) where
prescriptions were forged, some even presented on the hospital's
external Rx format with a "Dr's" signature to retail Pharmacies outside
the hospital, I do feel quite concerned. Computerisation in itself is
excellent for record purposes and to speed up the workload but how
does one make the system watertight?
Your valuable information would be appreciated and enabling.
Mariam Cassimjee
Pharmaceutical Services
E-Wing, Addington Hospital
137 Parlock Drive, Parlock
Durban 4034, South Africa
Telephone: (031) 872808(H) 3322425(W)
Fax: (031) 3326135(W)
Cellphone: 0828245055
E-mail: mimi@iafrica.com
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