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Search results for "Information Professionals"

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Journal Article > Study

Provider and pharmacist responses to warfarin drug–drug interaction alerts: a study of healthcare downstream of CPOE alerts.

Miller AM, Boro MS, Korman NE, Davoren JB. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2011;18(suppl 1):i45-i50.

This study highlights the role of alert fatigue and provider overrides in contributing to warfarin-related adverse drug events.

Journal Article > Study

Medication-error alerts for warfarin orders detected by a bar-code-assisted medication administration system.

Fitzhenry F, Doran J, Lobo B, et al. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2011;68:434-441.

The vast majority of warnings about warfarin (a commonly prescribed anticoagulant) generated by a bar-code medication administration system were clinically insignificant.

Journal Article > Study

Unintended effects of a computerized physician order entry nearly hard-stop alert to prevent a drug interaction: a randomized controlled trial.

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Strom BL, Schinnar R, Aberra F, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170:1578-1583.

Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems prevent prescribing errors by warning clinicians about medication interactions or contraindications. However, extensive research has shown that clinicians ignore many warnings, especially those perceived as clinically inconsequential. In this randomized trial, investigators created a "hard stop" warning that essentially prevented co-prescribing of warfarin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (a combination that exposes patients to severe bleeding risks). Although the hard stop was much more successful than a less stringent warning at preventing co-prescribing, the trial was stopped and the warning abandoned because several patients experienced delays in needed treatment with one of the drugs. The accompanying editorial by Dr. David Bates points out that this study vividly illustrates the unintended consequences of CPOE, a persistent issue that has slowed the pace of CPOE implementation.

Perspectives on Safety > Perspective

The Role of Bar Coding and Smart Pumps in Safety

with commentary by Jeffrey M. Rothschild, MD, MPH; Carol Keohane, RN, BSN, Bar Coding for Medication Safety, September 2008

Medication safety in hospitals depends on the successful execution of a complex system of scores of individual tasks that can be categorized into five stages: ordering or prescribing, preparing, dispensing, transcribing, and monitoring the patient's response. Many of these tasks lend themselves to technologic tools. Over the past 20 years, technology has played an increasingly larger role toward achieving the five rights of medication safety: getting the right dose of the right drug to the right patient using the right route and at the right time. While several of these technologies may incur significant upfront and maintenance costs, the net impact over time may be reduced overall institutional costs and improvements in work efficiency. Examples of technologic tools commonly seen in many hospitals today include computerized provider order entry (CPOE) with decision support and automatic dispensing carts, also known as medication dispensing robots. While outside the scope of this Perspective, it is important to emphasize that many nontechnologic interventions, such as clinical pharmacists on physician rounds, can be equally effective in improving medication safety.

Journal Article > Study

Effectiveness of a computerized system for intravenous heparin administration: using information technology to improve patient care and patient safety.

Oyen LJ, Nishimura RA, Ou NN, Armon JJ, Zhou M. Am Heart Hosp J. 2005;3:75-81.

The investigators analyzed the efficacy of a computerized heparin nomogram system, which distributes interactive cues among the prescriber, nurse, pharmacist, and laboratory. They found significant improvements in the safety of this drug's administration.

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