Solution to doctors' 'scruffy' prescriptions

Thursday 05 March 2020

Doctors’ scruffy handwriting is one of the reasons Jersey’s health department has introduced a new electronic prescription system, which they claim will improve patient safety, Express has learned.

It may be a cliché that doctors have indecipherable handwriting, but Health and Community Services have been trialling new technology, in part, to make sure prescriptions are legible for everyone.

The Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) system was launched at the hospital’s Sorel Ward and Theatre Recovery in January this year, before being implemented in Rayner Ward at the end of that month as part of a pilot. 

“The Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) system was implemented based on a range of internationally recognised benefits which, while not being a main reason for implementation, included improving the legibility of prescriptions," a Health spokesperson explained.

“The range of beneficial areas included improving patient care, effective medicines management, benefits to prescribers, nursing staff and pharmacists.”

Pictured: The new system has already been trialled in parts of the hospital (Twitter/Government of Jersey).

Running from January to March this year, the EPMA ‘test run’ will then see the system introduced across the entirety of Health and Community Services.

Speaking more generally about the benefits of introducing electronic prescriptions, the spokesperson added: “The purpose of EPMA is to provide HCS staff with a digital system that replaces the current paper-based medication practices. 

“There is evidence that EPMA systems will improve safety for patients, reducing the risk of harm and ensuring high quality efficient patient care which is as safe as possible.”