How to Issue a Prescription

Quick Answer

Open the patient record → Drug menu → Add Prescription → select drug, dose, frequency, duration → review and Issue.

What Problem Does This Solve?

This is the standard prescribing workflow in CCMS — what every clinician does dozens of times a day. Use this guide for a routine acute prescription. For repeats, controlled drugs, allergy alerts, or error recovery, see the linked FAQs.

Draft — content under review

This page is a placeholder for the standard prescribing workflow. Steps below are an outline; full screenshots and worked examples will be added before launch. If you need a definitive answer right now, contact the CCMS helpdesk.

Before You Start

Prerequisites

• Prescriber role (Doctor, MA with prescribing rights, or other authorized clinician)
• The correct patient record open and identity verified
• Smartcard logged in for the active session
• Knowledge of the patient's allergies and current medications (visible in the journal)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Open the patient record and verify identity

Always confirm the right patient before prescribing

1. Use Quick Patient Search (Ctrl + F) to open the patient.
2. Verify name, IC, and date of birth before any prescribing action.
3. Check the allergy banner at the top of the record.

2

Navigate to the prescribing dialog

Open the Add Prescription window

1. From the patient record, open the Drug menu.
2. Select Add Prescription (or use the toolbar shortcut if configured).

3

Select the drug

Search by name, brand, or generic

1. Type the drug name in the search field.
2. Pick the correct entry from the dropdown — pay attention to strength and formulation.
3. The system displays interaction and allergy alerts at this point — read them.

Allergy alerts

If an allergy alert fires, do not override without a documented clinical justification. Choose an alternative drug if possible.

4

Set dose, frequency, and duration

The three fields that define every prescription

1. Enter the dose (e.g., 500 mg).
2. Choose the frequency (e.g., TDS).
3. Set the duration or quantity (e.g., 5 days, or 30 tablets).
4. Add instructions to patient (e.g., "Take after food").

5

Review and issue

Final check before the prescription is sent

1. Review the full prescription summary on screen.
2. Confirm dose, frequency, duration, and route.
3. Click Issue (or Sign) to commit.
4. The prescription is now part of the active medication list and visible in the audit trail.

Result

The prescription is issued, the audit log records who prescribed and when, and the dispensing system (PHIS) receives the order.

Troubleshooting

Prescribing dialog will not open

Cause: Most commonly the multi-instance lock (only the first SystmOne window can prescribe).

Solution: See Prescribing First Instance Error for the full fix.

I issued the wrong drug or dose

Cause: A clinical error after issuance — wrong drug, wrong dose, or wrong patient.

Solution: See Prescription Error Handling for the recovery procedure, including PHIS coordination.

Allergy alert keeps firing for a drug I know is safe

Cause: The allergy entry on the record is over-broad (e.g., "all NSAIDs" when only one is implicated).

Solution:

1. Review the original allergy entry with the patient.
2. Refine the recorded allergy to the specific drug or class with documented clinical justification.
3. Do not silently override — every override is logged.