A controlled trial of smart infusion pumps to improve medication safety in critically ill patients.

This prospective, randomized time series trial examined the impact of smart pumps with integrated decision support on adverse medication events. Investigators used a decision support system that allowed categorization of noted events by type, preventability, and severity. Despite finding similar serious medication error rates in both study groups, opportunities for intervention were discovered through improved detection with the new technology. The authors concluded that improved infusion safety can result from incorporating novel technology but stressed that behavioral and educational factors of users must be considered.