Role of Technology in the Medication Process

According to a study, medication errors are frequent and that adverse drug events, or injuries due to drugs, occur more than necessary. 

          Now, there is actually a way to reduce such errors through the use of Information Technology. The use of Information Technology could reduce the rates of medication errors in hospitals. There are reasons why these errors occur. One good example is "committing mistakes in reading a physicians medicine prescription because of his handwriting". 

         This can be changed through the implementation of automated technologies in the medication process. The use of computers and other devices makes communication between the health care providers is much easier in terms of sharing, storing, and accessing health information. 

               There is a need to improve quality care by assuring that the health care providers have accurate and timely information. This is possible through the use of computers. Through electronic prescription, physicians are able to send prescriptions to the pharmacy department electronically. 

This helps: 

• avoid mistakes due to your doctor’s handwriting or your pharmacist’s misreading of your doctor’s prescription abbreviations.

• avoid harmful drug interactions by letting your doctor know that the drugs being ordered may interact with a medication you are already taking

• allows your doctor to see what medications are on your health plan’s drug formulary to make sure the drug being ordered is covered

  Source: Health Information Technology (www.about.com)

With the advancement of technology in this era, it is such a relief to find out that there is a solution to address medication errors to improve the quality of care and patient satisfaction.