Table 1 Implementation of 50 features* in 7 prescribing systems

Patient data

1

Create patient management plans

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2

Record and display allergies and drug intolerance

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3

Record and display clinical information

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4

Record and display pregnancy and breast-feeding status

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5

Record, display and sort current and past medicines (other than complementary medicines)

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6

Record and display patient identifying information

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7

Record complementary medicines

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8

Record medicine changes

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9

Record preventive and non-pharmacological management in a specified format

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Medicine selection

10

Easily select correct problem or diagnosis from a list

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11

Access to regulator-approved product information

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12

Provide drug strength and form information

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13

Provide adult and child dosing information

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14

Display active ingredient/s when a branded product selected

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15

Access to (other) evidence-based drug information at the time of prescribing

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16

Access to dose calculators

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17

Differentiate between similar name medicines on a list

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18

Record indication for medicine prior to prescribing

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19

Provide pre-defined dosage regimens for selection

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Decision support

20

Alerts for drug-drug interactions

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21

Alerts for drugs in pregnancy

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22

Alert for same patient name (on opening or creating record)

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23

Alerts for drug allergy or intolerance

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24

Preview and confirm correct patient details prior to electronic transmission of data

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25

Alerts for drugs in breastfeeding

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26

Alerts for therapeutic duplication

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27

Alerts for drug-condition contraindications

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28

Alerts for drug use in patients with renal impairment

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29

Alerts prioritised by importance

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30

Access to patient data related to alert

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31

Alerts for harmful dose, dosage regimen or quantity

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32

Alerts for safety issues related to specific products

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Patient education and information

33

Provide patient clinical information and tools

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34

Produce current medicine list--patient version

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35

Provide patient medicine information

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Monitoring, reminders and recalls

36

Reminder--action test results

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37

Reminder--overdue tests

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38

Displays laboratory results usefully

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39

Recalls--manually flagged for individual patients

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40

Produce reports--individual and practice level

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41

Display medicine information with relevant outcomes

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42

Produce reports--predefined

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43

Produce reports--user defined

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44

Recalls and reminders--preventive care and public health programs

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45

Reminder--routine or recommended tests

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Interoperability and communication

46

Import/export of a range of file formats

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47

Generate standard patient medicine chart

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Security and administration

48

System back-up and restore process is straightforward and secure

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49

System and content updates are reliable and easy to install

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Transparency

50

Exclude all advertising

Advertising was present in 2 systems**