For patients to have a seamless experience along the full continuum of care, in an integrated health care system, sharing of information is paramount. The current health system operates in silos, with information not being shared between care settings or being communicated to members of a patient’s extended care team in an efficient manner.
In my own practice, I will soon be incorporating PrescribeIT™, a digital e-prescription service built to eliminate the need for both paper based and faxed prescriptions. PrescribeIT™ will also provide the means for secure two-way communication between me and the pharmacist. I anticipate many benefits in the use of this system: recapturing lost time on administrative tasks, reducing errors from manual transcription of prescription information and maintaining patients’ medication information in a secure, encrypted system.
While there are alternates to PrescribeIT™, I chose this service not only for the reasons mentioned above, but also the following attributes:
- Securely protected data: the use of health data for marketing purposes has long been a contentious issue for physicians and PrescribeIT™ ensures data is secured through end-to-end encryption.
- Seamless integration: PrescribeIT™ easily and efficiently integrates into most office-based EMR systems, ensuring smooth operational transition for physicians and staff.
- Easy point-of-care access: PrescribeIT™ enables prescribers to view other medication related provincial assets such as formularies, and best prescribe medications.
- Check-in: PrescribeIT™ gives prescribers the ability to check if a patient’s prescription has been dispensed, helping to monitor whether at risk patients have picked up needed medications.
I expect digital health tools and services like PrescribeIT™ will bring efficiencies and benefits beyond what has been promised. I look forward to sharing more real-life case uses on the service soon. Until then, I will be focussing my time on what is most important and rewarding: caring for my patients.
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