In so doing, the EHR alerts the physician of any potential conflicts thus requiring the physician to prescribe an alternative drug. For drugs that have been recalled due to health risks or other issues, the EHR will also alert the physician of any problems that the drug may cause thus also requiring the physician to prescribe an alternative drug Sidorov, 2006() EHR systems also prevent physicians from overdosing, under-dosing or giving their patients the incorrect medication for their diagnosis. Since the EHR system collects all relevant information about the patient such as laboratory tests conducted and results and other tests such as X-ray, MRI, etc., the system prevents physicians from giving patients the incorrect medication for the diagnosis Pagliari, Don, & Singleton, 2007()

Electronic health record systems can help in the quick and systematic identification of operational issues and adverse effects from a certain drug. For example when the system notices that there is a pattern of adverse effects or safety issues that occur as a result of exposure to or usage of a certain drug, the physician will be notified thus enabling them to find out if the adverse effects are as a result of exposure to the drug. Thus it has built-in safeguards that...

(2001). Doctors' Use of Electronic Medical Records Systems in Hospitals: Cross Sectional Survey. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 323(7325), 1344-1348.
Pagliari, C., Don, D., & Singleton, P. (2007). Potential of electronic personal health records. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 335(7615), 330-333.

Sidorov, J. (2006). It Ain't Necessarily So: The Electronic Health Record and the Unlikely Prospect of Reducing Health Care Costs. Health Affairs, 25(4), 1079-1085. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.25.4.1079

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2012a). Hospira Announces a Nationwide Recall of Three Lots of Propofol Due to Glass Vial Defect Retrieved October 8th, 2012, from http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm315719.htm

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2012b). Watson Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets, USP 10 mg/500 mg Due to the Potential for Oversized and Superpotent Tablets Retrieved October 8th, 2012, from http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm320566.htm