The effect of computerized physician order entry on medication prescription errors and clinical outcome in pediatric and intensive care: a systematic review.

Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) continues to be hailed as a solution to preventing medication errors. While past research demonstrates its benefits in reducing serious medication errors, debate exists about its clinical benefits and unintended consequences. This systematic review builds on the existing literature by examining the impact of CPOE in pediatric and intensive care settings. Investigators analyzed data from twelve studies and discovered that medication prescription errors are in fact reduced after CPOE adoption. However, evidence of clinical benefit remains lacking, and the authors conclude that the quality of the implementation process is the key factor in success.