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Canadians’ Perceptions of e-Prescribing
Did you know 82% of Canadians would like to have a prescription sent electronically to their pharmacy by their physician?
Every year, Canada Health Infoway conducts a survey of Canadians to find out about their perceptions of digital health, including e-prescribing. We also partner with organizations, such as the Canadian Medical Association, to learn about clinicians’ views about e-prescribing. Here are some of the key findings.
What Canadians Think
75%
of Canadians would like to send prescription renew requests electronically.
65%
of Canadians would choose a virtual visit over an in-person visit for a prescription renewal.
30 million
An estimated 30 million prescriptions were obtained virtually last year in Canada.
What Physicians Think
Physicians also see the benefits of e-prescribing.
- There's more than 750 million prescriptions dispensed in Canada annually.
- 43% of physicians still use fax to send prescriptions to a pharmacy.
- 66% of physicians say that virtual care makes prescription renewal easy.
Lost & Damaged Prescriptions
Paper and faxed prescriptions can easily be tampered with. They can also get lost or damaged.
- Over 4 million Canadians who admit to losing or damaging a prescription:
- More than 400,000 of those were taken for a spin in the wash.
- Approximately 140,000 of those individuals report dropping them in a puddle and requiring a new one.
- Nearly 90,000 people reported that their prescriptions were eaten by dogs.
This could have serious consequences, as 700,000 Canadians decided to go without, as a result of a lost prescription, potentially foregoing needed medication.