Oct. 13, 2000
Pharmacists may not have to spend time trying to decipher prescriptions scratched out by doctors who are known for bad handwriting.
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has issued a challenge to make ALL drug prescriptions electronic within three years.
Science Specialist Ed Yeates reports.
Ever tried to read a doctor's handwriting on a prescription?
Of course pharmacists do a better job deciphering than I can, but even the professionals sometimes can't read this stuff.
Twenty years ago, health care providers could read most prescriptions because the trade names of drugs were rather unique.
But not any more! In this new age of abundant products, names seem to blur into one.
For example: Celebrex, Cerebyx and Celexa may all look the same on a hand-scribbled prescription. But one is a pain killer, the other an anti-seizure medication, the third a treatment for depression. An error in deciphering any one of these could prove disastrous.
JIM JORGENSON, DIRECTOR, U OF U PHARMACY SERVICES: "YOU CAN DELIVER A SMART BOMB INTO A COFFEE CUP FROM 20,000 FEET OR YOU CAN PINPOINT A TUMOR CELL IN SOMEONE'S BRAIN, BUT WE STILL CAN'T MOVE INFORMATION FROM A PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE TO A PHARMACY EFFECTIVELY."
ED YEATES, SCIENCE SPECIALIST: "WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS, THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH PHARMACY HOPES TO BE ALL ELECTRONIC. NO MORE HAND-SCRIBBLED PRESCRIPTIONS."
Doctors at University clinics throughout the valley will sit down at a computer and dispatch codes, names and dosages directly to the pharmacy.
On the pharmacy end - no questions about what the doctor wants. In fact, the new systems will do a lot more than send prescriptions.
JIM JORGENSEN: "FOR INSTANCE, IF HE WASN'T EXACTLY SURE IN HIS MIND HOW TO SPELL SOMETHING, HE COULD PUT IN A PHONETIC APPROXIMATION AND GET A LIST OF DRUGS HE'S LOOKING FOR - THEN HE COULD PICK THE DRUG OFF THAT. IF HE STILL WASN'T SURE IT COULD GIVE HIM ACCESS TO DRUG INFORMATION."
It would also access the patient's past medication history, red-flagging possible drug interactions.
Utah is actually ahead of the game in meeting the ISMP challenge. In addition to innovations at the University, LDS Hospital has already pioneered computerized systems for monitoring patient care.
The transition in hospitals is happening rapidly, but it will take longer to convert all clinics and neighborhood pharmacies to new systems.
