scholarly journals Using EMR-enabled computerized decision support systems to reduce prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications: a narrative review

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 559-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian A. Scott ◽  
Peter I. Pillans ◽  
Michael Barras ◽  
Christopher Morris

Prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) that pose more risk than benefit in older patients is a common occurrence across all healthcare settings. Reducing such prescribing has been challenging despite multiple interventions, including educational campaigns, audits and feedback, geriatrician assessment and formulary restrictions. With the increasing uptake of electronic medical records (EMRs) across hospitals, clinics and residential aged care facilities (RACFs), integrated with computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and e-prescribing, opportunities exist for incorporating clinical decision support systems (CDSS) into EMR at the point of care. This narrative review assessed the process and outcomes of using EMR-enabled CDSS to reduce the prescribing of PIMs. We searched PubMed for relevant articles published up to January 2018 and focused on those that described EMR-enabled CDSS that assisted prescribers to make changes at the time of ordering PIMs in adults. Computerized systems offering only medication reconciliation, dose checks, monitoring for medication errors, or basic formulary information were not included. In addition to outcome measures of medication-related processes and adverse drug events, qualitative data relating to factors that influence effectiveness of EMR-enabled CDSS were also gathered from selected studies. We analysed 20 studies comprising 10 randomized trials and 10 observational studies performed in hospitals ( n = 8), ambulatory care clinics ( n = 9) and RACFs ( n = 3). Studies varied in patient populations (although most involved older patients), type of CDSS, method of linkage with EMR, study designs and outcome measures. However, assuming little publication bias, the totality of evidence favoured EMR-enabled CDSS as being effective in reducing the prescribing of PIMs in hospitals, although results were more mixed for ambulatory care settings and RACFs. While absolute effects in most positive studies were modest, they suggest EMR-enabled CDSS are feasible and acceptable to clinicians, and if certain design features are adhered to, there is potential for even greater impact.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neele Leithäuser ◽  
Dennis Adelhütte ◽  
Kristin Braun ◽  
Christina Büsing ◽  
Martin Comis ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The healthcare sector poses many strategic, tactic and operational planning questions. Due to the historically grown structures, planning is often locally confined and much optimization potential is foregone. Methods: We implemented optimized decision-support systems for ambulatory care for four different real-world case studies that cover a variety of aspects in terms of planning scope and decision support tools. All are based on interactive cartographic representations and are being developed in cooperation with domain experts. The planning problems that we present are the problem of positioning centers for vaccination against Covid-19 (strategical) and emergency doctors (strategical/tactical), the out-of-hours pharmacy planning problem (tactical), and the route planning of patient transport services (operational). For each problem, we describe the planning question, give an overview of the mathematical model and present the implemented decision support application. Results: Mathematical optimization can be used to model and solve these planning problems. However, in order to convince decision-makers of an alternative solution structure, mathematical solutions must be comprehensible and tangible. Appealing and interactive decision-support tools can be used in practice to convince public health experts of the benefits of an alternative solution. The more strategic the problem and the less sensitive the data, the easier it is to put a tool into practice. Conclusions: Exploring solutions interactively is rarely supported in existing planning tools. However, in order to bring new innovative tools into productive use, many hurdles must be overcome.


1996 ◽  
Vol 35 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. T. de Dombal

AbstractThis paper deals with a major difficulty and potential limiting factor in present-day decision support - that of assigning precise value to an item (or group of items) of clinical information. Historical determinist descriptive thinking has been challenged by current concepts of uncertainty and probability, but neither view is adequate. Four equations are proposed outlining factors which affect the value of clinical information, which explain some previously puzzling observations concerning decision support. It is suggested that without accommodation of these concepts, computer-aided decision support cannot progress further, but if they can be accommodated in future programs, the implications may be profound.


1993 ◽  
Vol 32 (01) ◽  
pp. 12-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Musen

Abstract:Response to Heathfield HA, Wyatt J. Philosophies for the design and development of clinical decision-support systems. Meth Inform Med 1993; 32: 1-8.


2006 ◽  
Vol 45 (05) ◽  
pp. 523-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Abu-Hanna ◽  
B. Nannings

Summary Objectives: Decision Support Telemedicine Systems (DSTS) are at the intersection of two disciplines: telemedicine and clinical decision support systems (CDSS). The objective of this paper is to provide a set of characterizing properties for DSTSs. This characterizing property set (CPS) can be used for typing, classifying and clustering DSTSs. Methods: We performed a systematic keyword-based literature search to identify candidate-characterizing properties. We selected a subset of candidates and refined them by assessing their potential in order to obtain the CPS. Results: The CPS consists of 14 properties, which can be used for the uniform description and typing of applications of DSTSs. The properties are grouped in three categories that we refer to as the problem dimension, process dimension, and system dimension. We provide CPS instantiations for three prototypical applications. Conclusions: The CPS includes important properties for typing DSTSs, focusing on aspects of communication for the telemedicine part and on aspects of decisionmaking for the CDSS part. The CPS provides users with tools for uniformly describing DSTSs.


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