Electronic drug records save system $436 million for year

On October 6, 2010, the Vancouver Sun published an article focusing on the advantages of information systems in the healthcare field. The article written by Derek Abma, and entitled, “Electronic drug records save system$436 million for year: Study” highlighted the many rewarding aspects of the government funded project to create health information technology systems. It stated that the new program is already saving the healthcare system $436 million and once it’s implemented across he country it is estimated to save $2.3 billion each year. The advantages of this technology are that it will lower the cost of prescription drugs, lower the number of occurrences in which people negatively react to prescriptions, and prevent prescription drug abuse.

In my opinion, this was a very smart move on the part of the Canadian government. They understand the value of IT systems and saw that it could make a huge impact in an industry that for so long has been slipping in its efficiency. While his was a huge investment for the Canadian government, ($500 million) it will pay off in the long run, saving the system $2.3 billion a year. I hope that other countries can see what Canada has done to improve their healthcare system and implement it in their own programs, and possibly even explore all the other areas where IT could provide a great improvement.

The United States is a country that could particularly benefit from this technology. While we are often thought of as having one of the best healthcare systems in the world, we still have plenty of room for improvement. Most of our budget for technology is spent on biotechnology and medical research. If we devoted a more money into information systems like Canada did, within a few years the return on that investment would be extremely high, leaving us with a more efficient system and extra money to devote into medical research.

The world we live in is constantly changing and countries need to be adapting to these changes. Information technology systems are infiltrating companies, both large and small all throughout the world. It is important that countries keep up with the changes so they can be as efficient and cost effective as possible. Healthcare is just one example of how information systems can help cut costs and improve effectiveness. All aspects of the government and the country can be improved through information technology systems.

In conclusion, the way that Canada implemented the healthcare information system to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the system was extremely successful. They created a system that will save them billions over the long term, they also set a good example for other countries across the world and other governments should follow their lead. In the future I hope to see improved information systems in every aspect of each country. However, I feel that the world has a long way to go before we can see this.

Abma, By Derek. "Electronic Drug Records save System $436 Million for Year: Study." Vancouver Sun | Latest Breaking News | Business | Sports | Canada Daily News. 6 Oct. 2010. Web. 8 Oct. 2010. .