Medication errors: a prospective cohort study of hand-written and computerised physician order entry in the intensive care unit

• DOI: 10.1186/cc3793
• Publication Date: 2005-08-23T18:13:42Z
• Authors: Rob Shulman; Mervyn Singer; John Goldstone; Geoff Bellingan
• Keywords: Order entry

Abstract Introduction The study aimed to compare the impact of computerised physician order entry (CPOE) without decision support with hand-written prescribing (HWP) on frequency, type and outcome medication errors (MEs) in intensive care unit. Methods Details MEs were collected before, at several time points after, change from HWP CPOE. was conducted a London teaching hospital's 22-bedded general ICU. sampling periods 28 weeks before 2, 10, 25 37 after introduction unit pharmacist prospectively recorded details total number drugs prescribed daily during data collection periods, course his normal chart review. Results proportion significantly lower CPOE (117 2429 prescriptions, 4.8%) than (69 1036 6.7%) (p < 0.04). reduced following 0.001). Two led patient harm requiring an increase length stay and, if administered, three prescriptions could potentially have permanent or death. Differences types error between systems noted. There reduction major/moderate outcomes when non-intercepted intercepted combined = 0.01). mean baseline APACHE II score did not differ (19.4 versus 20.0, respectively, p 0.71). Conclusion associated improvement overall (if included). Moderate major errors, however, remain significant concern