British Columbia (Canada) established a province-wide database for
the entry of prescriptions. Any pharmacy in the province can
access the database through a network called PharmaNet. When
a prescription is filled the information is entered on PharmaNet, and
simultaneous adjudication of the cost to the patient (ie, if the drug
is a benefit under the provincial drug plan) is made. So the network
links dispensing information, medication profile, and reimbursement
under the provincial drug benefit plan.
Right now access is limited to pharmacies and hospital emergency
departments.
A patient profile lists medications dispenses over the last 14
months. One piece of information does not appear - where the
prescription was filled. There is the ability to add information about
allergies or other reactions, but the space in the fields to enter this
information is very limited. There is also the ability to enter short
clinical notes, but these are limited to one line. I've used this to
notify community pharmacists of recent hospital admissions or
treatments for selected patients - eg, FYI_RECENT MI_D/C ON
BETABLOCKER ACEI STATIN (that's about exactly how one has
to enter this information).
I have no idea how much it cost to set this up or the nature of the
planning. You can see some information about PharmaNet at the
following provincial government Web site:
http://www.moh.hnet.bc.ca/pharme/net.html
I have no other contact information.
*******************************
Randy Trinkle, BScPharm BA
Clinical Pharmacist
Prince Rupert Regional Hospital
Prince Rupert, BC
Health Science Links:
http://www.rupert.net/~rtrinkle
mailto:rtrinkle@mail.citytel.net
*******************************
I finally figured it out. If someone asks me if I'm
having a bad day it doesn't have anything to do with how
I actually feel. It's because they just found out that
they can't have what they want.
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