Electronic prescribing coming soon to 377th Medical Group's pharmacy

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Derek Larbie
  • Pharmacy Flight Commander
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The challenges of deciphering a physician's scribbled handwriting on a prescription are coming to an end for military pharmacies.

The 377th Medical Group Pharmacy is one of 178 Department of Defense pharmacies that will be implementing electronic prescribing this fall. The process will enable civilian healthcare providers to transmit computer-generated electronic prescriptions directly from their offices to military treatment facility pharmacies.

"We are very excited about the implementation of e-prescribing," said Capt. Laurie Lomeli, clinical pharmacy element chief. "Receiving prescriptions electronically helps clarify the dosage, quantity, and actual medication, increasing patient safety. It also eliminates the potential of faxed prescriptions not transmitting to our pharmacy."

These prescriptions, which are transmitted to pharmacies using a private, secure, and closed network, will take the place of handwritten and faxed prescriptions, with the exception of controlled drug prescriptions. The method has been shown to decrease medication errors, as well as phone calls from pharmacies to healthcare providers for clarification of undecipherable handwritten prescriptions.

"E-prescribing is a vital part of the military's drive to enhance the safety and quality of the prescribing process," Lomeli said.

At this time, Department of Defense pharmacies are not certified to receive and process controlled drug prescriptions electronically, so only non-controlled prescriptions can be transmitted electronically to Kirtland pharmacy. Patients must continue to turn in handwritten prescriptions for controlled drugs to the pharmacy for processing and dispensing.

This change will be implemented at Kirtland's Pharmacy mid-November.  Patients will still need to get a check in ticket number from the pharmacy kiosk in order for the pharmacy to fill, process and dispense the prescription.

"We anticipate the launch of e-prescribing at Kirtland to be of minimal impact to patients, though there may be some delays during peak hours and on weeks shortened by training days or holidays," Lomeli said.