Reducing medication errors through technology

1
Reducing medication errors through technology

• Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE)
• Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
• Internet

2
CPOE can

• Reduce errors / adverse drug events 55-80
• Produce legible and complete orders
• Flag laboratory results that affect prescribing
• Inform ordering MDs of drug interactions,
  allergies, and duplication
• Transmit orders to pharmacy when written
• Minimize dosing errors and
• Automatically calculate total doses.

3
CPOE cannot

• Eliminate all mediation errors

4
Technology solutions for Outpatient Prevention

• Hand held devices (PDAs)
• produce legible and complete prescriptions
• provide source of drug information
• test for drug interaction
• test for drug/allergy
• support formulary compliance
• recommend doses