What critical limitation affected early electronic prescribing attempts when they were tied solely to proprietary hospital systems?

Answer

They could not communicate with external pharmacies or other care settings

Early efforts in electronic prescribing often occurred within the confines of specific healthcare institutions, utilizing systems developed internally or purchased as part of a larger Electronic Health Record (EHR) package. These systems, due to their proprietary nature, created digital islands. The text specifies that this limitation meant they were unable to communicate securely or directly with external entities, particularly external pharmacies or different care settings. This lack of external connectivity prevented the system from achieving true e-prescribing functionality, effectively keeping the ordering process digitized only within the hospital walls rather than completing the loop to the dispensing location.

What critical limitation affected early electronic prescribing attempts when they were tied solely to proprietary hospital systems?

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