Computerized Physician Order Entry - Term Paper Example

Computerized physician order entry Computerized physician order entry Computerized physical order entry (CPOE) is an integrated system, which permits direct entry of medical instructions and orders. It is normally used by a medical practitioner for the treatment of patients. Communication of the entry orders is via a computer network. Medical staffs in varied departments receive and fill the ordered entries. These staff can fill the order by including. Laboratory tests, radiology, and pharmacy details of patients. Implementation of CPOE in healthcare institutions helps in various ways. It minimizes delays in the completion of orders. CPOE, permits order entry at point of entry or in offsite locations. The system also decreases transcription and handwriting errors. Further, CPOE allows for error checking of incorrect or duplicate tests or doses for patients. It streamlines healthcare institutions posting of charges and inventory (Hussein, Zaidise, & Linn, 2013).CPOE represents an operational tool that provides evidence based and real-time decision support for the physicians. Various stakeholders such as the Government, physicians, community, and employers need to have a coordinated plan for the evaluation and adoption of CPOE (Muzyk, 2013). This can help to increase the rate of adoption of the technology by hospitals. Therefore, this paper will discuss the computerized physical order entry as a system that is important in the running of the hospital. Technology history During the late eighties, hospitals started implementing CPOE. By 1999, various hospitals had computerized most of their medications (Cohn, 2011). Utilization of CPOE is in all orders of inpatient units like referrals, tests, patient care, and medications. Adoption of CPOE faced some barriers. Initially there was lack of involvement of clinicians in CPOE adoption, substandard reliability, and functionality of technology (Kudyba, 2010). There was lack of standardization of some of the medical terminologies. Most hospitals also faced inadequate long-term financial commitment in the implementation. Poor planning is also a barrier to the implementation of CPOE. At the same time, sociological barriers in the use of CPOE exist. Shifts in physical work practices persist due to the increased time that physicians take to enter orders. CPOE implementation impact in the resources, commitment, and efforts is great. Technology Assessment Technical properties: The electronic process provides health workers with a chance to enter orders electronically. Physicians are in a good position to manage and control the results of ordered entries. Companies encourage adoption of CPOE by hospitals and clinics, as the system offers a significant solution to the organizations. It helps in improving healthcare efficiency and quality, and decreases medical record in these institutions. Various healthcare facilities across the world are embracing technology in their operations. They are now increasingly adopting the use of CPOE. These institutions introduce CPOE for prescriptions and the results are rewarding. However, CPOE adoption depends largely of medication safety and financial investment in technology (Kudyba, 2010). Safety: Hospitals are implementing CPOE to improve patient safety, and quality care. The implementation involves more than just having an information technology shift. CPOE requires shifts in healthcare delivery sections like ancillary and clinical departments (Sijs, 2009). Further, implementation of the system requires redesigning of multifaceted clinical processes and integration of technology to optimize and expand ordering. Efficacy/Effectiveness: Effectiveness in the system is, the support it offers for better quality care and patient safety. Additionally, CPOE leads to improved effectiveness by minimising turnaround times in ordering process of care linked to medication management, radiology, and laboratory procedures and tests. CPOE has a great potential in healthcare facilities in reducing medical errors (Smith, 2013). The quality of health care in most nations depends on minimization of errors. Implementation of technology in various aspects of medication can assist in reducing errors and improving quality of medical care. Information technology use in event monitors, pharmacy systems, ordering, and bar coding, can help. Cost: CPOE use in various hospitals indicates generation of lower costs. The implementation of the system also increases the ordering of corollary orders. Further, CPOE increases the utilization of preventive care schemes in comparison to control groups. The novel system also reduces the overall cost of test ordering (Kazemi, et al, 2010). This system can also help to reduce adverse drug events. Reduction of errors improves medical delivery in health care facilities. Social Impact: In terms of CPOE social impact, the system indicates considerable success. Cohn (2011) says various hospitals use technology to order medications, indicate effectiveness. Use of CPOE reduced medical errors significantly in hospitals researched. Patient treatment depends on medications, diagnostic tests, referrals, and patient care. CPOE has more advantages compared to the paper based systems. The novel method increases completeness, accuracy, and decreases transcription. Additionally, CPOE allows for multiple entry or records in various locations. It also permits for the delivery support and decisions by physicians at the point of care. Decision makers have to interact directly with the system (Sijs, 2009). CPOE can utilize decision support in reducing medical errors. Additionally, the system can augment cost effective and appropriate clinical tests and medication. Decision support services demands for appropriate data in the systems. The data then helps in constructing decisions on knowledge rules and base. Conclusion: CPOE has various benefits. They are safer, consistent, and provide patient-centered care, which is measurable and long lasting. Incentives can make healthcare organizations to adopt CPOE. However, this might not be enough to influence physicians to use the system. Observable benefits of CPOE can improve physicians’ perceptions on the system. They can use the system to appreciate the benefits it brings. Minimization of time burden in CPOE use by the hospitals can help. The system can have faster response time, which allows operators to enteral details at ago. They can offer order sets for knowledgeable conditions (Cohn, 2011). Additionally, CPOE systems should allow for patient viewing on notes and results. These systems can also rely on physicians’ performance bonuses. This can act as a quality improvement strategy. Physicians’ input in the development of knowledge base and rules on decision support in CPOE can help to modify their attitudes towards the system. For successful implementation of CPOE in hospitals, adequate support and training of physicians is necessary. Ethical, Legal, Regulatory, Quality Discussion Information technology level in healthcare sector is low, compared to other industries. Health care sector depends on most of the legacy systems that only supports administrative functions. CPOE requires the integration of various technologies and terminologies in the healthcare system. Commercial CPOE systems and home grown. Some facilities purchase vendor built programs (Smith, 2013). However, these systems lack the functionality of home based programs. Financial incentives are a barrier for companies to implement the technology. Implementation costs rely on various factors. Nonetheless, CPOE implementation saves costs. It helps in reducing healthcare length of stay. The systems help in reducing test numbers and avoiding confrontations drug events. Most healthcare organizations face the challenge of providing quality healthcare to patients. Medical errors are common in research studies and media reports in the healthcare institutions. Consequently, adoption of CPOE helps in the reduction of medical error rates. The government and various companies encourage healthcare organizations, to implement the use of CPOE in providing medication (Muzyk, 2013).). However, some hospitals face challenge in using CPOE. These facilities need large investments in the implementation of state of the art CPOE systems. Helping the situation requires combined efforts from the employer, insurer, and government’s involvement. These groups can share the costs of implementing CPOE. They can also fund for research on the means and benefits of implementing CPOE. Analysis Incentives can help in the adoption and implementation of CPOE. Smith (2013) indicates that profitability of novel diagnostic and surgical technology is a strong incentive in the adoption of CPOE by healthcare facilities. This can aid in improving quality of healthcare by the increase in the utilization of information technology. The government can provide grants to hospitals to adopt the novel technology. This is in improving medical care and minimizing errors in hospitals. Promotion of the technology can have a great impact in healthcare sector. Further research is necessary in the implementation factors of CPOE. The development of guidelines that assist hospitals to implement the technology should take place. Hospitals that have adopted the technology can also act as mentors to the novel adopters and those that are yet to adopt the system (Kazemi, et al, 2010). Development of a common measurement standard is necessary to assess the adoption of CPOE. This can help to determine whether the system lead to improvements in cost and quality of healthcare in hospitals. The standards can encompass physical entry level of the orders. Additionally, assessment on CPOE ability to provide and detect alerts in ordering cases and preventing medication errors is necessary. Further, monitoring of CPOE to avoid creation of novel errors is significant. Summative Discussion and Conclusion Innovation theory helps to determine the rate of adoption of CPOE. The compatibility, advantage, trial tests, and observable features lead to faster adoption. However, complexity in using the system translates to lower rates of adoption (Hussein, Zaidise, & Linn, 2013). Healthcare facilities decide to adopt CPOE and staff should decide on the use of the system. Perceptions by varied hospitals and staff in CPOE implementation are significant. Adopters appreciate the benefits of CPOE. The system reduces medical errors and impacts on physicians’ order of tests and medication in clinically cost effective and suitable way (Muzyk, 2013). Increased adoption of CPOE in hospitals can lead to improvements on cost and quality of medication. The health care systems face various challenges regarding quality and safety of patient care. However, information technology is becoming a significant component of improving the situation. CPOE is a system that tries to improve the situation by bringing changes to the healthcare sector. The system permits physicians to enter orders into machines rather than handwriting (Hussein, Zaidise, & Linn, 2013). CPOE modifies the ordering process. This brings major benefits to the healthcare industry. Hospitals can now decrease the underuse, overuse, and misuse of some of their health care services. The system decreases costs, medical errors, shorten length of stay, and increases compliance of various guidelines. However, implementation of CPOE involves substantial costs in terms of organizational processes, and technology. This is in user support, training, design, and system implementation. The technology is new, and thus presents challenges in implementation. Nonetheless, CPOE technology offers significant benefits and is a significant platform for prospect health care system changes. References Cohn, K. H. (2011). Getting it done experienced healthcare leaders reveal field-tested strategies for clinical and financial success. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press. Hussein, O., Zaidise, I., & Linn, S. (2013). Safety and cost of computerized physician order entry in Internal Medicine Department. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 24, e268-e269. Kazemi, A., Fors, U. G., Tofighi, S., Tessma, M., & Ellenius, J. (2010). Physician Order Entry Or Nurse Order Entry? Comparison of Two Implementation Strategies for a Computerized Order Entry System Aimed at Reducing Dosing Medication Errors. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 12(1), 12-56. Kudyba, S. (2010). Healthcare informatics: improving efficiency and productivity. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Muzyk, A. J. (2013). A computerized physician order entry set designed to improve safety of intravenous haloperidol utilization. Journal of Pharmacovigilance, s2(01), 45-67. Sijs, H. v. (2009). Drug safety alerting in computerized physician order entry: unravelling and counteracting alert fatique. S.l.: s.n.]. Smith, P. A. (2013). Making computerized provider order entry work. London: Springer. Read More