What is Evaluation Studies

The adoption of electronic drug prescribing (ePrescribing) systems has been largely discussed in scientific literature. Yet post-implementation evaluations of these systems are still in short supply. At a time when large investments are being made throughout the world in health information systems and technologies, under pressure for cost-containment, evidence on which systems provide the largest net benefits is required. In this chapter, the authors start by reviewing the literature on the costs and benefits of outpatient ePrescribing systems and find that the evidence is scattered. There is a general consensus that ePrescribing is beneficial, although few studies quantify the net benefits of specific systems. The review also shows that the evaluation of ePrescribing systems is complex and that most studies share limitations associated with the evaluation of other health information technologies and systems. The authors propose an evidence-based framework to inform post-implementation evaluations of outpatient ePrescribing systems and to improve the quality and comparability of studies in the area.