Another Example Of Definite Success In The Use Of EHR. Basic Medication Management Really Making A Difference.

This appeared a little while ago:

Meaningful use medication measures reduce ADEs by 35%

Author Name Jennifer Bresnick   |   Date August 18, 2014   |  

Hospitals that adopt all five of the core medication management measures inherent in meaningful use experience fewer adverse drug events (ADEs), says a new study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, reducing the number of patient safety errors by more than one third.  The use of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) technology, decision support systems that check for drug and allergy interactions, and health information exchange that encourages the sharing of medication lists and allergy information with other providers were key features associated with the significant improvement in the rate of ADEs, explain John White, MD and Judy Murphy, RN, Director of the Office of Clinical Quality and Safety and Chief Nursing Officer at the ONC.

“When the Health Information Technology for Economic and Digital Health (HITECH) Act was passed in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, hopes were high that widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) would reduce the rate of adverse drug events in hospitals,” Murphy and White write in a blog post for HealthIT Buzz.  “Advocates believed incentives that encouraged hospitals and physicians to adopt EHRs would not only encourage faster adoption, but help to improve patient health.”

The results of this study, conducted in Florida, seem to give EHR advocates something to hang their hats on. 

More here:

http://ehrintelligence.com/2014/08/18/meaningful-use-medication-measures-reduce-ades-by-35/

All one can say is that this is a really pleasing outcome for those whose instinct is that this should work but have found evidence hard to find.

Good news!

David.