Advisory Notice - August 21, 2008
Clarification of e-Prescribing
Both this College and the Alberta College of Pharmacists have received queries from members about media reports referring to testing of an “e-prescription system”. As well, the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons of both provinces have been questioned by their registrants regarding the current status of electronic prescribing in their respective provinces. The College would like to clarify what is presently acceptable regarding the transmission of prescriptions.
Health Canada recently concluded that there are no regulatory impediments to moving ahead with electronically generated and transmitted prescriptions if these prescriptions achieve the same objectives as written prescriptions. Provinces wishing to proceed with e-prescribing are obligated to ensure that this is the case. Joint efforts are underway between the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) to define a comprehensive e-prescribing environment for Ontarians in such a way that regardless of whether a prescription is created, authorized and transmitted in writing, verbally or electronically, it meets existing requirements including privacy and patient choice.
The Ontario College of Pharmacists recognizes the benefits to the patient of electronic prescribing and the potential to reduce the incidence of medication errors. This College is committed to ensuring that pharmacists are able to fulfill their professional obligation to verify the authenticity of prescriptions and that transmission occurs in a way that ensures patient confidentiality, prevents forgeries and diversion, and ensures patient choice regarding the pharmacy where the prescription is filled.
At the present time, prescriptions produced by electronic means, but hand-signed by the prescriber and delivered by the patient to the pharmacy, are acceptable; as always, the pharmacist has the responsibility to ensure that the prescription is authentic.
Prescriptions which are produced by electronic means and faxed to the pharmacy must include a unique signature, a description of which was communicated in Pharmacy Connection May/June 2007 “Guidelines for Prescriptions Transmitted by Fax”. Methods of achieving a unique signature were also described in an article for physicians in the April 2007 issue of their member publication, Dialogue, “True Electronic Prescribing not yet a Reality for Doctors”. In addition, in order to prevent drug diversion, it is considered best practice to mark an original prescription which has been faxed to a pharmacy so that it cannot be resubmitted for filling.
The College will continue to keep members informed regarding work that is being done to overcome the technical barriers preventing full electronic prescribing.
Sincerely,
Original signed by:
Deanna L. Williams, R.Ph., B.Sc.Phm., C.Dir., CAE
Registrar
