Free Text vs. Standardized Prescribing – Understanding the Trade-Offs
Rethinking the prescription pad series
Introduction
For many physicians, free text within an EHR feels like the closest thing to writing on a prescription pad—quick, flexible, and familiar. But when we compare free text to standardized prescribing, the trade-offs become clear. While free text offers speed, standardized tools bring consistency, clarity, and safety to the process.
In this post, we’ll explore why standardized prescribing is worth the small adjustment, showing how it helps clinics reduce errors, save time, and improve overall patient care.
1. The Risks of Free Text Prescriptions
Free text allows for flexibility but often introduces ambiguity. Abbreviations, typos, or unclear phrasing can lead to confusion, particularly when prescriptions are interpreted by pharmacists or other healthcare providers.
Example: A free-text entry for "HCTZ " might be misinterpreted as "HTCZ," leading to delays or errors when filling the prescription.
How Standardized Prescribing Helps: Pre-defined options ensure that medications, dosages, and instructions are clear and universally understood, reducing the risk of errors.
2. Why Standardized Tools Improve Safety and Communication
Free-text entries lack the built-in safety features of standardized tools, such as alerts for drug interactions or duplicate prescriptions. These tools also facilitate better communication by providing clear and structured data that is easy for all providers to interpret.
Example: A standardized entry for "Hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg tablet once daily" leaves no room for doubt, ensuring both safety and clarity.
3. The Efficiency Myth – Free Text Isn’t Always Faster
Free text may feel quicker upfront, but it often leads to additional steps later, such as clarifications or corrections during refills or audits. Standardized entries save time in the long run by ensuring accuracy and reducing follow-up questions.
How It Helps: By capturing all required details upfront, standardized tools prevent repetitive tasks, streamlining workflows over time.
Conclusion
While free text may feel familiar, standardized EHR prescribing offers benefits that far outweigh the initial adjustment. It reduces errors, ensures clarity, and supports smoother communication across healthcare teams.
In our next post, we’ll explore how standardized tools can transform clinic efficiency, saving time for physicians and staff alike.
