Electronic prescribing provides important benefits for those who need to take medication. Learn more about the benefits of electronic prescriptions and how it has helped improve prescription drug safety over the years.
The traditional method of prescribing medications involves having healthcare providers write a prescription that patients can take to a pharmacy. The introduction and growing use of electronic prescribing has changed the way prescriptions are handled in a positive way. Find out more about the benefits of electronic prescriptions that offer patients greater convenience and better safety.
Reduced Waiting Times for Prescriptions
When your healthcare provider electronically prescribes your medication, your prescription goes right to the pharmacy. This means the pharmacy will have your prescription within a short period of time and can get started on filling it as soon as they have a chance. Instead of having to go to your pharmacy, drop off your handwritten prescription, and wait for it to be filled, you can stop by when your prescription is ready for you. It is always important that you alert the pharmacy that you are on the way to pick up your new prescription.
Lower Risk of Prescription Errors
Reading a handwritten prescription can lead to errors in the type of medication you are given or the dosage you are instructed to take. This can lead to serious health issues that could land you in the hospital. Having your prescription submitted electronically significantly lowers this risk, since the pharmacist can clearly and easily read the name of the medication and the dosage.
Reduced Risk of Drug Interactions
When you take more than one medication, there can be a risk of experiencing a drug interaction, since some medications are not safe to take with others. Prescription consolidation, or getting all of your medications from one pharmacy, helps lower this risk. Electronic prescribing adds another layer of safety that can help prevent this from happening. With electronic prescribing, healthcare providers are able to view all of the prescriptions you take and those you have taken in the past. This helps reduce the risk of drug interactions, especially if you tend to have prescriptions filled at different pharmacies.
Lower Risk of Adverse Reactions
Electronic prescribing provides improved safety in another way as well. This method of prescribing medications leads to a decreased risk of experiencing potentially serious adverse reactions, some of which can be life-threatening. Healthcare providers are able to see if you have any allergies or sensitivities, such as a penicillin allergy, that could make certain medications unsafe. Having this information helps ensure that your healthcare provider will prescribe a drug that does not put you at risk of having any severe reactions.
If you need more information on prescription drug safety or prescription consolidation, please contact Smith-Caldwell Drug Store at (501) 315-7700.