Electronic prescriptions may be better alternative to doctors’ handwriting

Dallin Moon MOO00004@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

Some doctors’ illegible penmanship has taken the brunt of many jokes in the medical world. Now, Nevada is putting the joke aside and taking initiative to solve the problem.

The suggested solution: have doctors e-mail prescriptions to pharmacists instead of filling them through handwritten notes.

Doctors who support the initiative say the electronic system would save time, reduce costs and increase safety.

“It saves lives. It is much more accurate. The system will alert you of allergic reactions, drug interactions and it’s a huge improvement,” said Dr. Craig Morrow, an internist at Las Vegas’ largest medical group, Southwest Medical Associates, and advocate of electronic prescriptions.

In Idaho, pharmacists can request prescriptions by fax and then the doctor sends an approval back. Some health institutions have software programs that generate prescriptions electronically.

Supporters say the new e-mail prescriptions will save patients money by checking for generic brands of medicine.

Nevada would be the first state to institute prescriptions by e-mail, although other states are trying it as well. The idea is backed by the White House and has bipartisan support in Congress. Over the summer, Hillary Clinton and Bill Frist joined forces to campaign to computerize all medical records, not just prescriptions.