A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä
Information technology, improved access and use of prescription drugs
Tekijät: Böckerman Petri, Kortelainen Mika, Laine Liisa, Nurminen Mikko, Saxell Tanja
Kustantaja: Oxford University Press
Julkaisuvuosi: 2024
Journal: Journal of the European Economic Association
Lehden akronyymi: JEEA
Vuosikerta: 23
Numero: 1
Aloitussivu: 396
Lopetussivu: 430
ISSN: 1542-4766
eISSN: 1542-4774
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvae034
Verkko-osoite: https://doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvae034
Rinnakkaistallenteen osoite: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/386951194
We estimate the effects of health information technology designed to improve access to medication while limiting overuse through easier prescription renewal and improved information provision. We focus on benzodiazepines, a commonly prescribed class of mental health and insomnia medications, which are highly effective but potentially addictive. We study the staggered rollout of a nationwide electronic prescribing system over four years in Finland and use population-wide, individual-level administrative data sets. We find that e-prescribing increases average benzodiazepine use due to increased prescription renewals. The increase is most pronounced for younger patients. E-prescribing can improve the health of elderly patients and may help to balance the access-overuse trade-off. Without additional monitoring for addiction in place, it may, however, also have unintended health consequences for younger patients, who are more likely to develop mental and behavioral health disorders.
Ladattava julkaisu This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |