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Open Access 01-12-2024 | Research

Electronic prescription systems in Greece: a large-scale survey of healthcare professionals’ perceptions

Authors: Margarita Grammatikopoulou, Ioulietta Lazarou, George Giannios, Christina Asimina Kakalou, Martha Zachariadou, Maria Zande, Haralampos Karanikas, Eleftherios Thireos, Thanos G. Stavropoulos, Pantelis Natsiavas, Spiros Nikolopoulos, Ioannis Kompatsiaris

Published in: Archives of Public Health | Issue 1/2024

Abstract

Background

The national e-prescription system in Greece is one of the most important achievements in the e-health sector. Healthcare professionals’ feedback is essential to ensure the introduced system tends to their needs and reduces their everyday workload. The number of surveys collecting the users’ views is limited, while the existing studies include only a small number of participants.

Methods

In this study, healthcare professionals’ perceptions on e-prescription are explored. For this, a questionnaire was distributed online, containing closed- and open-ended questions aiming to address strengths and identify drawbacks in e-prescription. Answers were collected from primary health care physicians, specialized medical doctors and pharmacists.

Results

In total, 430 answers were collected (129 from primary health care physicians, 164 responses from specialized medical doctors and 137 pharmacists). Analysis of the collected answers reveals that the views of the three groups of healthcare professionals mostly converge. The positive impact e-prescribing systems have on the overall prescribing procedure in preventing errors and providing automation is commented. Among gaps identified and proposed improvements, health care professionals note the need for access to information on adverse drug reactions, side effects, drug-to-drug interactions and allergies. Flexible interaction with Therapeutic Prescription Protocols is desired to ameliorate monitoring and decision-making, while drug dosing features, and simplified procedures for copying, repeating, canceling a prescription, are perceived as useful to incorporate.

Conclusions

Collecting healthcare professionals’ feedback is important, as their views can be transcribed to system requirements, to further promote e-prescribing and improve the provided health care services by facilitating decision making through safer and more efficient e-prescription. Introduction of the identified improvements can simplify the everyday workflow of healthcare professionals. To the best of our knowledge, a survey with more than 400 answered questionnaires on the use of e-prescription systems by healthcare professionals has never been conducted in Greece before.

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Title: Electronic prescription systems in Greece: a large-scale survey of healthcare professionals’ perceptions
Authors: Margarita Grammatikopoulou
Ioulietta Lazarou
George Giannios
Christina Asimina Kakalou
Martha Zachariadou
Maria Zande
Haralampos Karanikas
Eleftherios Thireos
Thanos G. Stavropoulos
Pantelis Natsiavas
Spiros Nikolopoulos
Ioannis Kompatsiaris
Publication date: 01-12-2024
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Archives of Public Health / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 2049-3258
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-024-01304-6

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Electronic prescription systems in Greece: a large-scale survey of healthcare professionals’ perceptions

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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