Incorporating medication indications into the prescribing process.
Misinterpretation of medication instructions can lead to medication administration errors and patient harm. Current computerized provider order entry for medications does not support best practices for medication instructions. This study describes an expert panel process to delineate how to include the indication—the reason for prescribing the medication—in the medication instructions. Experts recommend that prescribing begin with the indication for the medication, with decision support that promotes selection of the optimal medication. The authors emphasize the importance of a streamlined electronic prescribing process. A past PSNet perspective discussed integrating clinician decision support systems to improve medication safety.