Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): Electronic Prescribing

Electronic prescribing, also known as e-prescribing or electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS), is the process of sending prescription orders electronically, rather than on paper prescriptions. E-prescribing systems allow healthcare providers to send prescription orders directly to a pharmacy from the provider’s office or electronic health record (EHR) system.

E-prescribing has many benefits in healthcare. It can improve patient safety by reducing medication errors, by checking for drug interactions and allergies, and by allowing providers to see a patient’s medication history. It also can increase the efficiency of the prescribing process, by eliminating the need for handwriting and manual faxing of prescriptions. It also can improve the coordination of care, by allowing providers to see a patient’s medication history and communicate with other providers.

E-prescribing systems also can help to reduce the potential for medication abuse and fraud by requiring multi-factor authentication and providing an auditable trail of the prescribing process.

E-prescribing is becoming increasingly common in the United States and is required for participation in several federal healthcare programs, such as the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

In summary, Electronic Prescribing (E-prescribing) is the process of sending prescription orders electronically, rather than on paper prescriptions. E-prescribing has many benefits in healthcare, such as improving patient safety, increasing efficiency, improving coordination of care, and reducing the potential for medication abuse and fraud. It’s becoming more common and is required for participation in several federal healthcare programs.