Role of computerized physician order entry systems in facilitating medication errors.

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Background

The study took place at a tertiary-care teaching hospital with 750 beds as well as a (CPOE) system. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of CPOE in facilitating prescription errors. [1]

Methods

  • Qualitative and quantitative study on the interaction with CPOE and staff
  • Focus groups, one on one interviews, expert interviews, shadowing and observation, surveys.

Results

22 types of medication errors resulted from this study. These unintended consequences included: information errors:Fragmentation and Systems Integration failure, Medication Discontinuation Failures, Antibiotic renewal failure, allergy information delay, and conflicting or duplicative medications.

Conclusions

In this study, it was found that this CPOE, often times, created medication errors and some were reported to have happened often.

Comments

CPOE systems are widely used in hospitals systems today. It is important that we recognize these errors as we are implementing these CPOE systems to prevent further errors or mistakes from occurring. Medication discontinuation errors are likely to happen if the medication falls off after a certain time period. I have observed that at times at the time a medication especially an antibiotic is entered with a stop date. If the patient stay continues beyond that date the medication may fall off resulting in a medication error.

References

  1. Ross, 2005. Role of Computerized Physician Order Entry Systems in Facilitating Medication Errors . http://jama.jamanetwork.com.ezproxyhost.library.tmc.edu/article.aspx?articleid=200498