Planned implementations of ePrescribing systems in NHS hospitals in England: a questionnaire study

OBJECTIVES: To describe the plans of English NHS hospitals to implement ePrescribing systems. DESIGN AND SETTING: Questionnaire-based survey of attendees of the National ePrescribing Forum. PARTICIPANTS: A piloted questionnaire was distributed to all NHS and non-NHS hospital-based attendees. The questionnaire enquired about any completed or planned implementation of ePrescribing systems, the specific systems of interest, and functionality they offered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Estimate of the number of NHS Trusts planning to implement ePrescribing systems. RESULTS: Ninety-one of the 166 questionnaires distributed to NHS hospital-based staff were completed and returned. Of those, six were incomplete, resulting in a total usable response rate of 51% (n = 85). Eighty-two percent (n = 46) of the 56 Trusts represented at the Forum were either ‘thinking of implementing’ or ‘currently implementing’ an ePrescribing system, such as Ascribe (13%, n = 7) and JAC (20%, n = 11). Forty percent (n = 22) of respondents specified other systems, including those procured by NHS Connecting for Health e.g. RiO, Lorenzo and Cerner. Knowledge support, decision support and computerized links to other elements of patients’ individual care records were the functionalities of greatest interest. CONCLUSION: There is considerable reported interest and activity in implementing ePrescribing systems in hospitals across England. Whether such developments have the desired impact on improving the safety of prescribing is however, yet to be determined.