[An experience of the prescription process]

The high prevalence of drug-related illness in hospitals is now widely acknowledged. The medication pathway, from prescription to administration, can now be computerized in order to reduce the incidence of errors. The Forcilles Medical Center, with a capacity of 391 beds, is a private non profit institution integrated into the French public healthcare system, specializing in nutrition and cancer treatment directly after major surgery. Since 1980, it has gradually developed and integrated a computerized network that encompasses nearly every aspect of the administration. The computerization of the prescription process was made possible by further technological advances in 1999, giving doctors access to patients' charts and allowing them to prescribe medications within the network. A program created by the Center manages each step of the process, from prescription by the physician to dispensation by the pharmacist and, to some extent, administration by the nurse. Built-in checks at each level verify that the proper guidelines and instructions have been followed. The objective of this system is three-fold: prevention of drug-related illness at all levels of care; a more efficient prescription process; and a resulting cost reduction. This computerized system is almost complete and will be further developed. The Center's projected goals for 2004-2008 include propositions to continue to strive for optimal safety, through administration of the right medication to the right patient with the right dose at the right time.