A consideration of the factors that affect the adoption ofelectronic prescriptions in dispensing pharmacies

Abstract

The Japanese government aims to launch electronic prescriptions(e-prescriptions) in January 2023. Adopting electronic prescriptions entailscertain costs, but a delay in adopting electronic prescriptions would meanlosing customers to other pharmacies. The purpose of this study, is toconsider the important factors that affect the adoption of electronicprescriptions in dispensing pharmacies. Based on published data, we quantifiedthe costs required to operate electronic prescriptions and the lost profit inthe case of not adopting electronic prescriptions. We found that lost profitis a more important factor than all the costs. This finding suggests thatclose attention should be paid to the time schedule of issuing electronicprescriptions by medical institutions that are the prescribers, and to adoptelectronic prescriptions at an early stage.

Given that electronic prescriptions will surely be launched in the future,it is important that dispensing pharmacies are well prepared to adoptelectronic prescriptions as soon as possible, taking into account theirlocations and customer characteristics, in order not to be overwhelmed bymedical DX and to ensure a stable profit.