the stringent lockdown restrictions greatly impacted mental health and addictions in canada. data from many surveys, including statistic canada’s survey on covid-19 and mental health , show increases in the rates of mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance-use disorders, with up to one in four adults screening positive for mental illness or addictions symptoms.
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during a recent research project , we found that patients receiving mental health care favour improved sharing and exchanging of mental health information for clinical use, as they believe ensuring all those in their circle of care having access to relevant information allows them to receive the best care. patients discussed the importance of having access to a complete medical history so that they don’t have to retell their whole story to each practitioner they meet.
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previous research has also shown medication errors can have a long-term effect on the trust between a patient and physician that is essential to successful treatment outcomes. e-prescribing tools can significantly reduce medication errors. not only does prescribeit’s secure messaging functionality improve communication, but by enabling the digital transmission of prescriptions, it reduces the risk of lost or damaged prescriptions, transcription errors, poor legibility, and other issues that are common with paper or faxed prescriptions.