e-Prescribing Market Executive Summary, Segmentation, Review, Trends, Opportunities, Growth, Demand and Forecast to 2029
The Global e-Prescribing Market Poised
for Strong 24–26% Growth by 2029
The global e-prescribing
market is on track to grow at a rapid CAGR of 24–26% through 2029, driven
by the rising emphasis on patient safety, the need to eliminate medication
errors, real-time clinical alerts, and improved prescription tracking.
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Post-pandemic digital acceleration, supportive regulations across various countries, increasing telemedicine adoption, government incentives, and the expanding use of electronic health record (EHR) systems are further propelling the market. Despite this momentum, limited digital literacy among certain end-user groups remains a key barrier to broader adoption.
Understanding e-Prescribing
e-Prescribing enables healthcare providers to send accurate, legible, and
real-time prescriptions electronically to pharmacies from the point of care.
This digital approach reduces manual errors, enhances patient safety, and
streamlines the overall prescription workflow.
COVID-19 Accelerated the Shift Toward
Digital Prescribing
The pandemic reshaped healthcare delivery worldwide, introducing widespread
telehealth adoption and minimizing face-to-face patient–provider interactions.
In this context, e-prescribing emerged as a critical tool to maintain safe,
contactless care. With lockdowns and social distancing in effect, the need to
avoid paper-based prescriptions surged. Data from Surescripts highlights a
72.5% rise in electronic prescriptions issued through telehealth during the
first month of the pandemic—signaling a pivotal shift in prescribing behavior
across the United States.
Regulatory Momentum Supporting
e-Prescribing Adoption
Several countries introduced regulatory reforms to expand safe access to care
and strengthen prescription oversight:
• In the United States, numerous states—including California, Indiana,
Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Utah, and Washington—implemented
mandates requiring controlled substances to be prescribed electronically,
helping to reduce drug misuse and overdose.
• In Ireland, amendments to the Medicinal Products Regulations enabled prescriptions
to be transferred electronically using the Healthmail system. Hard-copy
prescriptions were no longer required, and prescription validity was extended
from six to nine months.
• Australia legalized electronic prescribing for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(PBS) medicines, supported by parallel updates to state and territorial
legislation.
• In August 2023, DrFirst and MEDITECH announced a collaboration to support
e-prescribing for hospitals using the Expanse EHR in Canada, aligned with
Canada Health Infoway's PrescribeIT initiative.
Key Benefits Fueling Market Expansion
Growing digital adoption across healthcare continues to strengthen demand for
e-prescribing. Major advantages include:
• Reduced Pharmacist Errors: Clear, standardized electronic
prescriptions lessen interpretation errors associated with handwritten notes.
• Real-time Clinical Alerts: Systems notify prescribers of allergies,
drug interactions, duplicate therapies, and contraindications, significantly
improving patient safety.
• Prescription Fulfillment Monitoring: Clinicians can track whether
patients have filled their prescriptions, supporting medication adherence.
• Instant Access to Medication History: Providers can review complete
medication records instantly, saving time and enabling informed decisions.
• Enhanced Efficiency: Bulk prescription refills and automation
streamline workflows, reduce manual steps, and decrease error rates.
• Elimination of Lost Prescriptions: Electronic transmission ensures
patients do not misplace prescriptions, reducing administrative burdens for
both clinics and pharmacies.
A senior leader from a major U.S. e-prescribing service provider emphasized
that Electronic Prescribing for Controlled Substances (EPCS) mandates—now
active in over half of U.S. states—are instrumental in reducing
overdose-related deaths and will continue to drive market adoption.
Product Segment Overview
The market is divided into solutions and services:
• Solutions: These include software platforms that enable prescription
generation, clinical decision support, medication history review, and pharmacy
communication. This segment leads the market due to widespread EHR adoption and
the need for seamless, error-free workflows.
• Services: Cover implementation, training, maintenance, and support
necessary for optimized system performance. Although smaller in market share,
services remain critical for successful deployment and long-term efficiency.
End-User Segment Outlook
The e-prescribing market serves three primary end-user groups:
• Hospitals: A major segment, driven by high prescription volumes, the
need for integrated medication management, and strong alignment with EHR
systems.
• Office-Based Physicians: A fast-growing user group adopting
e-prescribing to streamline outpatient workflows and improve clinical
efficiency.
• Pharmacies: Essential for completing the digital prescribing cycle,
pharmacies benefit through error reduction, faster processing, and improved
operations.
Competitive Landscape
Key players active in the global e-prescribing market include:
• Allscripts
• NextGen Healthcare
• AdvancedMD
• MDToolbox
• Practice Fusion
• DrFirst
• RXNT
• Chetu
• PrognoCIS
• NewCrop
• Among others
Growth Strategies Driving Market
Expansion
Industry players are strengthening their market presence through strategic
collaborations, acquisitions, and product innovation:
• April 2024: VieCure integrated DrFirst's e-prescribing and medication
management tools into its oncology decision support system.
• November 2023: Thoma Bravo completed a $1.8 billion acquisition of NextGen
Healthcare to enhance its cloud-based healthcare portfolio.
• October 2023: Veradigm partnered with FDB to integrate the FDB Vela ePrescribing
network into its EHR and ePrescribe solutions.
• March 2022: FDB launched FDB Vela, a cloud-native e-prescribing network
enabling seamless clinical and medication data exchange.
• October 2021: Veradigm and CareMetx formed a strategic partnership to
streamline specialty medication approval and improve patient care workflows.
Conclusion
The e-prescribing market is entering a high-growth phase fueled by strong
regulatory support, the long-term impact of COVID-19 on telemedicine,
increasing focus on controlled-substance safety, and the widespread
digitization of healthcare workflows. As healthcare systems continue to
prioritize safety, efficiency, and transparency, e-prescribing adoption is
expected to accelerate considerably over the next several years.
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Medi-Tech Insights is a healthcare-focused business research & insights firm. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, blue-chip investors & hyper-growth start-ups. We have completed 100+ projects in Digital Health, Healthcare IT, Medical Technology, Medical Devices & Pharma Services in the areas of market assessments, due diligence, competitive intelligence, market sizing and forecasting, pricing analysis & go-to-market strategy. Our methodology includes rigorous secondary research combined with deep-dive interviews with industry-leading CXO, VPs, and key demand/supply side decision-makers.
