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e-prescriptions Reduce Medication Errors by 50pc

DUBAI - The electronic prescription system implemented in Dubai government healthcare facilities has helped in reducing medication errors by 50 per cent, a senior official has said.

The Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) in Dubai launched the e-prescription systemfor its hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs) in 2007. The system has been successfully implemented in three of its hospitals and some PHCs while it is still being introduced in other Dohms facilities. With different electronic modules, including the details of prescriptions, dispensing methods, medication administration, billing and inventory, the system has shown its benefits, according to Director of Pharmaceutical Services in Dohms Dr Ali Al Syed Hussain.

Hetold Khaleej Times recently that medication errors reported in Dohms facilities have reduced by 50 per cent after the implementation of the system.

“We have never had serious medication errors that resulted in fatal cases. We have had only minor medication errors resulting out of prescription of incorrect doses, and dispensing of similar, but not the correct, medicine. Such instances have come down because of the electronic prescription system.”

sajila@khaleetimes.com