THE ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTION SYSTEM FOR ANTIBIOTICS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PHARMACY VISITORS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/2312-0967.2025.2.15293Keywords:
electronic prescription, antibiotics, patient, eHealth, satisfaction, confidentialityAbstract
The aim of the work – to assess the attitudes of pharmacy visitors (patients) toward the implemented e-prescription system in general and specifically for antibiotics, to examine how socio-demographic characteristics influence the specifics of the e-prescription acquisition process, taking into account statistically significant differences; and to identify the main shortcomings and barriers patients face when obtaining medications through e-prescriptions.
Materials and Methods. An online survey was conducted among 305 respondents from various regions of Ukraine via social media distribution. The questionnaire included 34 items covering socio-demographic characteristics, experience with e-prescriptions, attitudes toward their implementation, and usability assessment. Descriptive statistics and the χ² test were applied.
Results and Discussion. More than 85 % of respondents were aware of the e-prescription system, and approximately 60 % had personal experience using it. Patients identified key benefits of e-prescriptions, such as reducing uncontrolled antibiotic consumption, eliminating issues related to paper-based prescriptions, and enabling the selection of drug trade names. However, 47 % expressed concerns regarding the confidentiality of personal data. Statistically significant associations were found between certain socio-demographic variables and perceptions of e-prescription accessibility.
Conclusions. The study results demonstrated a high level of patient awareness regarding the e-prescription system in Ukraine: 85,25 % of respondents were aware of the mandatory requirement for e-prescriptions when dispensing antibiotics, 85,90 % supported this regulation, and 87,54 % reported no difficulties during the dispensing process. Personal experience with e-prescriptions was reported by 59,02 % of respondents, indicating the need for further public education on the system.
Statistically significant differences in the use of e-prescriptions were observed based on age (χ² = 49,57; p = 0,014) and social status (χ² = 55,59; p < 0,001). No significant gender-based differences were found, although women more often noted the availability of antibiotics via e-prescription in all pharmacies (χ² = 8,17; p = 0,0043). Overall satisfaction with the system is high: 77 % of respondents considered the e-prescription process convenient, while concerns about data confidentiality remain the primary issue. The main advantages of the system, as reported by patients, include improved control over the dispensing of antibiotics (69,5 %), reduction in prescription errors (61,3 %), and the ability to choose a specific medication brand (33,8 %).
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