USF Puts Tampa at the Forefront of Electronic Prescription Movement

One of the leading causes of pharmacy malpractice in Tampa and across the Nation involves pharmacists misinterpreting physician handwriting. This type of medication mistake leads to filling prescriptions with the wrong medicine and or the wrong dose of medicine. Typed electronically transmitted prescriptions would entirely eliminate prescription errors associated with sloppy handwriting.

Although electronic prescribing technology has existed for many years, doctors have been slow to use it. According to an article by Letitia Stein posted at www.tampabay.com, less than one in 10 doctors currently write electronic prescriptions. The University of South Florida plans to change that statistic.

On Monday March 16, 2009, Stephen Klasko M.D., the CEO of USF Health and Dean of the College of Medicine announced a public/private partnership between the University and private industry called PaperFree Tampa Bay. The goal of the program is to educate the regions 10,000 physicians about the electronic prescription technology that already exists. Doctors that have an electronic transmitting device like a smart phone, iphone, or Blackberry can enter prescriptions on software made by a company called Allscripts and electronically transmit it to the pharmacy. The PaperFree Tampa Bay partnership plans to make doctors aware of the system and teach them how to use it.

USF should be applauded for its efforts. The University has recognized the failure of the medical community to adopt life saving technology and they are doing something about it.

Scott Distasio
Florida Pharmacy Malpractice Lawyer

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