Drug Profile Viewer

eHealth Ontario is leading the implementation of electronic prescribing (“ePrescribing”) across the province as part of its ehealth strategy to improve patient care and safety and access in support of the government’s health strategy.

The Drug Profile Viewer (DPV) System is an electronic information system providing authorized health care providers in emergency departments and other hospital locations with secure access to drug claims histories.

Histories are available for the 2.3 million recipients of the Ontario Drug Benefit Program (also includes the Trillium Drug Program) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. DPV helps providers quickly identify the potential for harmful drug interactions or lethal combinations of drugs.

eHealth Ontario is planning to expand access to the DPV to authorized users in health organizations beyond hospitals as part of its ehealth strategy to improve patient care, safety and access in support of the government’s health strategy. eHealth Ontario is focusing its efforts over the next three years on three clinical priorities: diabetes management, medication management and wait times. The DPV is a key step towards building the future, province-wide Drug Information System which supports the overall provincial strategy to improve medication management for Ontarians.

Benefits

It is estimated that preventable adverse drug events are the fourth leading cause of death in Ontario. These events occur for several reasons. The patient may arrive in the emergency department unconscious or with language difficulties. A health care provider may not be aware of all the medications a patient may be taking and may prescribe a drug that is contra-indicated, especially if the patient is taking multiple medications.

The DPV is helping to prevent a significant number of adverse drug events by providing drug claims histories of many patients who come to a hospital. The ability to electronically share medication information between authorized health care providers is one of the most important aspects of a complete electronic health record and can improve patient safety.

Patient benefits:

• Increased safety by preventing adverse drug reactions.
• Faster assessments and treatments.
• Reduces the need to repeat medication information

Health service provider benefits:

• Allows quicker identification and prevention of adverse drug reactions.
• Enables faster medical assessment and treatment.
• Assists those who may not remember their medication names and dosages.
• Helps to ensure a patient’s current medications are continued in hospital, if needed.
• Reduces the need to repeat patient drug information to multiple health care providers involved in a patient’s care.

Progress to date

The DPV system requirements were developed with input from broader health sector stakeholders. Since 2005, the technology has been having a major impact on patient safety in 245 hospital sites (emergency departments and other locations within hospitals) across Ontario. Hospital staff are using it every day and are convinced of its value every time an adverse drug event or death is prevented.

Next steps

eHealth Ontario is poised to expand access to DPV to authorized users in health organizations outside of hospital settings during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years.