title: Model of Current Practice Regarding Prescriptions of Controlled Substances and the Perceived Benefits of E-Prescribing in an Academic Medical Center.
abstract: To review current practices regarding prescribing controlled substances at an academic medical center and describe possible advantages of electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS). A 10-question multiple choice survey was sent electronically to all house staff at an academic medical center. Aggregated data was analyzed for trends. 193 surveys (18.8 %) were completed. Of all respondents, 46.6 % were not able to write their own prescriptions. 70.0 % have used another provider's prescription pad to write prescriptions. 53.4 % have had prescriptions rejected or not filled by a pharmacy for being written incorrectly. 59.6 % kept a patient as an inpatient for a longer period of time due to the inability to obtain a prescription, costing an estimated $3.28 million per year. 58.0 % needed to have a patient return to the hospital to pick up prescriptions for an estimated 1583 return trips to the hospital yearly. 35.1 % had a patient return to the emergency department due to uncontrolled pain, estimated at $139,000 in yearly emergency department patient charges. The authors' survey highlights some of the financial, legal, efficiency, and satisfaction disadvantages due to the inability to use EPCS. Implementing EPCS and making it ubiquitous may limit some inefficiencies in academic hospital systems.
authors: Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, 1250 16th Street, #2100A, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA. eskupperman@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors: Eli
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3055-877X
authors: E
authors: Kupperman
authors: Family Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Vigil
authors: Information Services and Solutions, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Arash
authors: A
authors: Yazdani
authors: Information Services and Solutions, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Baldwin
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D061891:Controlled Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055695:Electronic Prescribing / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D061891:Controlled Substances
keywords: Controlled substances; E-prescriptions; Electronic health record; House staff; Prescriptions