Digital Prescriptions: Empowering Doctors to Conserve Millions of Trees Globally
November 22, 2023A trip to the clinic typically concludes with receiving a doctor’s prescription—a piece of paper containing instructions for our health improvement. While to us, this paper might seem like a minor addition to our carbon footprint, it’s worth noting that for a doctor managing a large number of patients, crafting their prescription pads consumes the equivalent of five trees annually.
Every year, 25 lakh trees are cut down worldwide to produce prescription pads, contributing significantly to the mounting challenges of global warming and climate change. However, consider this: doctors can also play a part in fostering a better future by transitioning to Digital Prescription methods. Let’s delve into this possibility.
The Ones Showing the Way
Electronic prescribing might be a recent technological advancement in this region, but in New Zealand—a renowned environmentally conscious nation—it emerged over twenty years ago as part of the government’s healthcare initiative.
Nevertheless, the inception of e-prescriptions traces back to the United States, where the US Institute of Medicine endorsed it, leading to its adoption by numerous prestigious hospitals in the 70s. Approximately a decade ago, pharmacies spearheaded the digital transformation in healthcare through automated billing systems, laying the groundwork for the early stages of e-prescribing software development.
Government Initiatives Around the World
Canada earmarked $40 million in 2016 for Canada Health Infoway to develop a digital prescription system.
In Russia, electronic prescriptions were integrated into Project EMIAS, endorsed by the government, as part of Moscow’s digital city program in 2014, enhancing the Russian public healthcare system.
Bangladesh witnessed a significant shift when the High Court mandated readable prescriptions, compelling many doctors to transition to e-prescriptions.
NHS England has a goal to eliminate paper-based prescriptions by the conclusion of 2024, showcasing the UK‘s commitment to prioritizing digital prescription adoption.
In India, the Government of West Bengal led the charge by mandating government-run hospitals to implement e-prescriptions back in 2014.
How Indian Doctors Can Contribute to it
Some conservative-minded doctors frequently inquire about the role of digital prescriptions and electronic health records in patient care. Consider this: they significantly contribute to our planet’s health.
Research conducted by Kaiser Permanente, a prominent US-based healthcare organization, revealed that implementing e-prescriptions across 36 hospitals and 454 clinics resulted in a reduction of 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. Now, envision the environmental impact if hundreds of thousands of Indian doctors and clinics transitioned to digitizing their prescription methods.
Benefits of Going Digital
Apart from the environmental advantages, e-prescriptions bring unparalleled convenience to both physicians and patients. Here are some key benefits of utilizing e-prescription software:
- Enhanced security through cloud-based prescription storage, reducing instances of prescription loss.
- Enhanced security through cloud-based prescription storage, reducing instances of prescription loss.
- Mitigation of pharmacist errors by eliminating handwriting-related issues in drug delivery.
- Expedited and convenient reconciliation of a patient’s medication history.
- Streamlined order verification process, reducing time spent by pharmacies.
- Facilitated prescription of drugs covered by a patient’s insurance.
- Cost-effective solution compared to custom printed paper prescriptions.
- Immediate alerts to clinics and hospitals outlining specific patient treatment plans.
SoftClinic GenX: The Economical Solution
Having gone through these details, if you’re an Indian doctor seeking to revamp your prescription methods, SoftClinic GenX emerges as the optimal choice. SoftClinic offers the most cost-effective and effective digital prescription solution in India.
Using SoftClinic GenX, each prescription will incur a mere ₹2, significantly lower than both conventional paper-based and computer-printed prescriptions. Additionally, SoftClinic GenX provides complimentary features like prescription emailing, SMS alerts, and automated WhatsApp messages at no extra cost.
Wrapping Up!
E-prescribing has cemented its place in healthcare. Beyond averting pharmacist errors, it champions the preservation of vast forests, preventing their conversion into paper. At the forefront of India’s digital prescription revolution stands SoftClinic GenX.
In the battle against climate change, collective action is imperative. Our future generations hinge on our participation; without it, their planetary home remains uncertain. For healthcare professionals, embracing digital prescriptions signifies a crucial step in combating climate change. If you’re a medical practitioner, embracing this change means contributing to a more sustainable, greener future.