Difference between revisions of "Computer Provider Order Entry (CPOE)"

Revision as of 03:29, 8 September 2014

Computer Provider Entry System (CPOE)

Computer Provider Entry System – or CPOE – is defined by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) dictionary as an “order entry application specifically designed to assist clinical practitioners in creating and managing medical orders for patient services and medications” [1]. CPOE systems are becoming integral additions to electronic health records, being used by more practitioners in all areas of healthcare. Studies show that CPOE use can reduce medication errors and treatment orders, along with errors that often come when misreading providers’ handwriting [2].

Negatives of Computer Provider Entry System

Despite resulting in medication and other errors, CPOE still faces many negative views from physicians and other providers. “The increased time required by physicians to enter data into CPOE products will result in increased personnel costs for direct patient care;” also more time spent entering data resulted in less face-time with patients and reduction in profit [3]. Another negative of CPOE is cost. On top of additional personnel costs to cover longer work hours, estimated costs of a computer provider entry system can be 1.6-2 million annually – this cost is after initial implementation and regular maintenance and support [4].

Physicians’ responses towards CPOE are often mixed. Many don’t want to spend that much time sitting in front of a computer entering data, the “power of being a doctor” feels reduced when they must spend part of their day entering data. The design and implementation of many CPOE systems often results in more negative views; if physicians are not inputting data fully – or correctly – then the information is misinterpreted by nurses and other staff and errors still occur, or rise [5].

References:

1. HIMSS dictionary of healthcare information technology terms, acronyms and organizations. (2010). Chicago, IL: Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

2. Love, J.S., Wright, A., Simon, S.R., Jenter, C.A., Soran, C.S., Volk, L.A., Bates, D.W., and Poon, E.G. (2012). Are physicians' perceptions of healthcare quality and practice satisfaction affected by errors associated with electronic health record use? Journal of American Medical Informatics Association, 19(4), 610-614. DOI 10.1136/amiajnl-2011-000544

3. Berger, R. G., & Kichak, J. P. (2004). Computerized physician order entry: helpful or harmful? Journal of American Medical Informatics Association, 11(2), 100-103. DOI 10.1197/jamia.M1411

4. Berger, R. G., & Kichak, J. P. (2004). Computerized physician order entry: helpful or harmful? Journal of American Medical Informatics Association, 11(2), 100-103. DOI 10.1197/jamia.M1411

5. Khajouei R, Jaspers MW. (2010). The impact of CPOE medication systems’ design aspects on usability, workflow and medication orders. Methods of Information in Medicine, 49(1), 3-19. DOI 10.3414/ME0630