The introduction of electronic prescriptions in Ukraine as an important component of the electronic healthcare system: the experience of pharmacists

The electronic prescription plays an important role in the digitalization of the healthcare system in Ukraine and is an important tool for managing the supply of medicines. The introduction of e-prescriptions brings the national healthcare system of Ukraine in line with international standards, in particular in the context of European integration obligations. The e-prescription provides transparency, accounting and control of the turnover of prescription drugs, contributes to the rationalization of pharmacotherapy and increases the responsibility of all participants in this process. Aim. To analyze the impact of e-prescriptions on the work of pharmacists, assess the advantages and problems they face during their introduction, as well as determine future development directions for the e-prescription system to improve the efficiency of pharmaceutical services. Materials and methods. The methods used included questionnaire surveys, analysis and synthesis, formal-logical, semantic, comparative, and systemic methods. The data analysis was performed using Microsoft Office Excel and STATISTICA 12. Results and discussion. Our study found that the level of satisfaction among pharmacists with the e-prescription system implemented in Ukraine was quite high, with an average score of 7.79±2.02. According to the survey results, the average value of the number of e-prescriptions dispensed by one pharmacist during the working day was 6.95±0.41 prescriptions. At the same time, the average number of e-prescriptions for antibiotics was significantly lower – 1.60±0.19 prescriptions per day. Additionally, the average time to dispense one e-prescription, as reported by the respondents, was 2.63 minutes. The positive aspects of electronic prescribing that were most frequently mentioned in the free-text responses were safety of avoiding defects inherent in paper prescriptions (262) and the reduction in the likelihood of uncontrolled antibiotic consumption (295). However, respondents also described several disadvantages of electronic prescribing of medicines. Conclusions. The results of the study have shown that the introduction of the electronic prescription in the pharmacy practice of Ukraine is an important step towards the digitalization of pharmacy and strengthening control over the turnover of prescription drugs, particularly antibiotics. Most pharmacists support the idea of the e-prescription as a tool for rationalizing the drug dispensing process, reducing abuse, and increasing the transparency of pharmaceutical care.