Computerized Physician Order Entry Research Paper

• Length: 5 pages
• Subject: Healthcare
• Type: Research Paper
• Paper: #36373425
• Related Topics: Medication Errors, Decision Support System, Patient Safety, Patient Privacy

Excerpt from Research Paper :

Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) systems are essential towards the improvement of the ordering processes within the health centers or hospitals. These systems are also valuable in relation to improvement of patient safety and enhancement of the quality of care or service delivery (Cohen A, et al., 2005). This is an indication that the systems are vital in the achievement of quality services with reference to quality care of patients within the health centers. Despite these benefits, there are unintended consequences in association with the implementation of the CPOE systems within the context of the hospitals or health centers (Kaushal et al., 2003). The main objective of this research analysis paper is to evaluate three critical forms of unintended consequences in relation to the implementation of CPOE systems in hospitals.

More/New Work for the Clinicians

Clear identification of the unintended consequence

One of the types of unintended consequences in relation to the implementation of CPOE systems in the modern hospitals is the generation of more or new work for the clinical and non-clinical staff (Ash, Berg, & Coiera, 2004). CPOE implementation goal is to offer a better patient overview to the clinicians. Despite the essence of this direct goal and plan, implementation of the CPOE systems generate more work in the provision of better patient overview to the clinicians. This increases the volume of work or overview in comparison to the previous methodology prior to the implementation of the CPOE systems in the hospitals.

How and/or why the unintended consequence occur

Implementation of the CPOE systems in the hospitals have various capabilities to lead to generation of new or more works to the clinical and non-clinical staff. Some of ways for the development of this unintended consequence within the hospital include entering of new information not previous required such as justification of treatment selection and response to excessive alerts containing unhelpful information. Expansion of extra time for the completion of non-routine and complex orders might also contribute to the realization of this unintended consequence.

What threat to patient safety occurs with each consequence identified?

The unintended consequence slows down effectiveness and efficiency in the service delivery thus hindering the provision of quality services and care to patients. Implementation of the systems slows down documentation and ordering processes thus affecting the safety of the patients especially those in critical conditions. There is also minimal attention to the patients because of the increase in the volume of work by the clinical and non-clinical staff.

What ethical, legal or social issue may be related to this consequence?

One of the social issues relating to this consequence is discrimination to the clinical staff in the process of delivery services to patients. This relates to the aspect of non-specific medication interactions not concerning the current patient.

How would the consequence or remedied be handled

Loss of efficiency takes time to facilitate the achievement of the health centers in relation to enhance patient overview to the clinicians. In order to handle this consequence, training and development of the users should be mandatory and attention away from demanding schedules.

Section 2: Generation of New Kinds of Errors

Clear identification of the unintended consequence

Implementation of the CPOE can generate new kinds of health care related errors (Ash, Berg, & Coiera, 2004). This is an indication that CPOE systems have the ability to prevent and cause medication errors. These new medical errors hinder the realization of the goals and objectives of the hospitals towards the provision of quality health care to patients. The main objective of the implementation of these systems is to eliminate medical errors in relation to documentation and ordering. In the implementation of these systems, there emerges an unintended consequence in the form of errors.

How and/or why the unintended consequence occur

Implementation of the CPOE systems within the context of hospitals can cause or generate new medication or health-related errors. Some of the sources of the new CPOE-related errors include confusion in relation to order presentation and selection options, inadequate or inappropriate text entries, and misunderstandings in relation to training, test, and generation of versions of the system. Another source of this consequence is the concept of the workflow process mismatch. It is also critical to note that system designs and confusion of the users in relation to functionality also generate new forms of errors.

What threat to patient safety occurs with each consequence identified?

Generation of new errors can affect…