Over the next few years, the Connecting for Health IT programme for the NHS in England is due to implement electronic prescribing systems at all hospitals in England. Furthermore, the other UK countries are likely to follow suit with clinical IT implementation programmes, and these developments will generate interest in electronic prescribing at European and international level. There is therefore likely to be an exponential growth in the significance of electronic prescribing over the next ten years. Principles of Electronic Prescribing discusses the basic principles of design and implementation of secondary care electronic medicines management systems, and how their design and configuration can impact on benefits realization, hospital workflow and clinical practice.

After qualifying in pharmacy and working as a hospital pharmacist, Stephen Goundrey-Smith subsequently studied Information Science at City University, London. He has worked as a medical information officer in the pharmaceutical industry, and as an analyst on electronic prescribing, pharmacy and medicines management software in the IT industry. He currently manages SGS PharmaSolutions, a specialist consultancy dealing in pharmacy informatics and contract professional communications for the international pharmaceutical industry. He has published a number of papers on clinical and information science issues, including, recently, the first comprehensive review of electronic prescribing system design and experience in the UK. He has also contributed to the recent Connecting for Health consultation on electronic prescribing requirements.

Philosophical& Social Framework of Electronic Medicines Management.- History and Context of Electronic Prescribing in the US and UK.- Organisation Benefits of Electronic Prescribing.- EP Systems as a Risk Management Tool.- Data Support for Electronic Medicines Management.- Electronic Medicines Management: Support for Professional Practice.- Electronic Medicines Management and Non-Medical Prescribing.- Electronic Prescribing and Future Priorities.