Balurghat Hospital to roll out e-prescriptions from next week

The Balurghat District Hospital is going to introduce e-prescription written through computers in place of handwritten prescriptions for outdoor patients from next week.

Several people from villages come to the hospital and they cannot read and understand what is written on the prescription. As a result, they wander around to understand it. Therefore, the hospital authority thinks that the e-prescription will reap many benefits if it is introduced.

Krishnendu Bikas Bagh, Superintendent of Balurghat District Hospital, said: “We received an order from the state Health department to start e-prescription in the hospital. Initially, e-prescription will be launched as a pilot project in the department of Psychiatry, Otolaryngology and Acupuncture. This service will be gradually introduced in all sections in the coming days.

Many people will benefit if this e-prescription is introduced.” According to him, the e-prescription will contain the name of the patient, all the information of the disease, the name of the medicines prescribed by the doctor, how to take the medicines and how long to take the same.

Even if there is any additional advice, it will be clearly written in the prescription.

Recently, a complete guideline has come from the state to the district regarding this.

Incidentally, Balurghat Hospital does not have enough health workers to run e-prescription services and therefore, the new facility will be launched in a few departments. Training was given to the doctors, nurses and health workers regarding the matter.

Notably, many patients come outdoors for treatment everyday. Long queues are also followed at the hospital pharmacy. Allegedly, the health workers do not explain the prescriptions to the patients well while giving medicines due to their busy schedules.

As a result, patients do not know any details such as when a medicine will be taken or how long it will last. This time this service will be available through e-prescription.

Balai Das, a patient from Patiram, said: “I consulted an ENT specialist at the outdoor clinic of the hospital recently. Many drugs were listed in the prescription with a few suggestions as well. I didn’t understand them at all. I was forced to go to the nearby drug store to understand the matter. It will be very convenient for patients like us if the names of drugs in these prescriptions are computerised.”