Assessment of impact of digital revolution on prescription legibility and dispensing efficiency in community pharmacies in India

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Vinodkumaar, Govind
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2024-05
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The research analyses pharmacists' opinions about the implementation of electronic prescribing systems and investigates at the frequency and effects of illegible prescriptions in community pharmacies in Kerala, India. A survey comprising both closed-ended and open-ended questions was administered to 105 registered pharmacists in order to collect data. For the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively, descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used. The survey shows that prescriptions that are difficult to read is a common problem; 80.8% of pharmacists identify things like poor handwriting, unclear symbols, and missing information. Of the respondents, over half (48.1%) received illegible prescriptions once in a while, and 25% received them frequently. Readability issues with these prescriptions were identified by the vast majority (97.1%), which resulted in processing errors (67.3%), possible patient damage (56.7%), and decreased workflow efficiency (48.1%). When presented with illegible prescriptions, pharmacists frequently consulted colleagues (33.7%) or contacted prescribers (63.5%) for clarification. The most common outcome of illegible prescriptions was found to be dispensing errors (64.4%). Improved understanding (38.5%), reduced mistake rates (33.7%), and increased workflow efficiency (23.1%) are only some of the benefits of electronic prescription systems that the report reveals. The majority of pharmacists supported the switch to electronic prescription, even though they mentioned possible difficulties such technological issues (73.1%) and problems during system failures (13.5%). Benefits including improved patient safety, more efficient workflow, and reduced administrative load were highlighted. The study's findings emphasize how critical it is to address prescription legibility in order to enhance patient safety and pharmacy efficiency. It is suggested that electronic prescription systems be implemented as a realistic approach, given that sufficient technical assistance and training are provided.

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