Implementation of an Electronic Prescription Writer in Ambulatory Care

Oceanview Medical Center (OMC) successfully implemented a home grown, inpatient, computerized physician ordering entry system (CPOE). In early 2004, OMC launched a small pilot group as the need for a similar ordering entry system in ambulatory care was rising. Doctors, nurses, and programmers collaborated to develop an electronic prescription writer for ambulatory clinical setting. The system was named RxWriter and was designed to operate with the OMC electronic medical record system (OMCEMR, also home grown) to support prescription generation, easier communication of patient information, more efficient clinic workflow, automatic medication monitoring, and quality improvement.