Comparing safety, performance and user perceptions of a patient-specific indication-based prescribing tool with current practice: a mixed methods randomised user testing study.

Indication-based or patient-specific electronic prescribing tools support safe medication prescribing. In this study, prescribers conducted five simulated prescribing tasks using standard practices (control) and five using a prototype decision support that integrated patient-specific information such as age and weight (intervention). There were fewer prescribing errors in the intervention arm, with a lower perceived task burden. Participants stated that integrating patient-specific information into the ordering tool could be especially beneficial for pediatric populations where many medication doses are weight-based. While none of the participants used the indication-based search feature, several stated new prescribers may find it useful.