Physicians' Perspectives with the E-prescribing System in Five Teaching Hospitals.

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Medical Practice Management

Background:

• Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) systems offer potential benefits but face implementation challenges.
• Physician perspectives are crucial for understanding e-prescribing system efficiency and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate physicians' views on the efficiency, effectiveness, opportunities, and challenges of e-prescribing.
• To identify factors influencing the adoption and success of e-prescribing systems in hospitals.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive analytics cross-sectional study involving 195 physicians from five hospitals.
• Data collected via a validated questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and regression models.

Main Results:

• Physicians reported positive impacts of e-prescribing on efficiency and effectiveness.
• The most frequent opportunity cited was eliminating prescription illegibility, while internet connectivity was the primary challenge.
• A strong positive correlation was found between efficiency and effectiveness (r=0.850, p<0.01). Age negatively correlated with both efficiency and effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Physicians perceive e-prescribing as beneficial for their work, despite existing challenges.
• Addressing physician needs, involving them in system design/implementation, and regular evaluations are vital for overcoming e-prescribing hurdles.
• Findings provide insights for hospital managers and policymakers to improve e-prescribing system implementation and address shortcomings.