By IN-SUNG YOO
The News Journal
10/25/2005
We've all heard the jokes about doctors and their messy penmanship.
But all kidding aside, legible handwriting is critical when it comes to properly filling prescriptions.
Just having a decimal point in the wrong place in the dosage amount can turn a lifesaving medication into a powerful poison. And patients are at risk of allergic reactions to drugs or dangerous interactions with other medications they may be taking, so getting a prescription right is key.
According to a 2000 report by the Institute of Medicine, medication errors -- resulting from misinterpreted handwriting to poor communication to drug name confusion -- cause more than 7,000 deaths in America a year. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices estimates that 2 percent of all prescriptions filled in the United States result in some sort of error, resulting in more than 80 million errors a year.
To help address error issues, Delaware's Office of Management and Budget and the Medical Society of Delaware have teamed up to launch a pilot program that will put the Rcopia electronic prescription system in the hands of 100 physicians across the state. The program began Sept. 26, and so far about 60 doctors have signed up. After one year, results of the program will be evaluated, and participating physicians will be able to renew their device licenses at a discounted rate.
The Rcopia system, designed by Rockville, Md.-based DrFirst Inc., essentially replaces the familiar pen-and-pad method. Rcopia uses a PDA-style device that allows physicians to enter prescription information and send it directly to a pharmacy fax machine via an Internet or wireless phone connection. It also has the capability to link up with an office's electronic medical records system.
The system has been a big hit, said Dr. Ronald Travitz of Blue Heron Medical Group in Salisbury, Md., who started using Rcopia in November after 18 years in practice.
Before Rcopia, fulfilling a prescription order meant pulling that patient's file, calling the pharmacy and waiting as the order was confirmed. With 75 to 100 calls a day just for prescription renewals, that added up to a substantial time commitment.
Rcopia has meant an easier workload for Travitz's staff. For him and his patients, it's added peace of mind, he said.
"The staff loves it," he said. "And I feel better because they can't misspell drugs or get a wrong dosage."
The system also checks for drug allergies and potentially dangerous interactions with other prescriptions, providing an extra measure of protection. And it offers a reliable digital "paper trail" stored in the system.
Introducing electronic prescription technology to the state is another step toward fulfilling the vision laid out by the Delaware Health Information Network, the state's initiative to create a comprehensive database of patient health records, said Wendy Gainor, senior director of professional services at the Medical Society of Delaware, which is helping recruit physicians for the pilot program.
"It's in the patients' interest if their physician is interested in things like this," she said. "As a part of the bigger picture, it's a very good thing."
Contact In-Sung Yoo at 324-2909 or iyoo@delawareonline.com.
