The Increasing Presence Of CPOE
We will be hearing a lot about CPOE, or computerized physician order entry, in the coming years. Until recently, hospitals and doctors in the U.S. have been slow to adopt this technology. However, recent federal stimulus funding has caused this transition to begin taking place throughout the country. What was once resisted due to the unwillingness to change is now being embraced for cost-saving reasons.
A study conducted by RAND Health revealed that over $81 billion could be saved annually by the U.S. healthcare system through the implementation of CPOE. In addition, the health information Worst Skin Care Products exchange made possible by this technology improves the quality of patient care. It also reduces negative events due to situations such as incorrect or incompatible dosing or testing.
The use of this technology is expected to increase as hospitals recognize the financial benefits and additional computer-savvy physicians enter practice. Wireless technologies like laptops, tablet computers, and smartphones make using an electronic physician portal even more convenient. Once physicians are trained on the system, they can enter patient orders from a hospital bedside or at home.
El Camino Hospital located in Mountain View, California was the site of the first successful implementation of this technology during the early 1970s. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has also found Types Of Careers In Pharmacy implementation successful. Using a graphical user interface, health care providers can review or update patient records at any computer within the more than 1,000 healthcare facilities operated by the VA.
Successful adoption of CPOE requires a focus on change management. This involves restructuring relevant workflows, dealing with resistance to change, and establishing an environment of collaboration. To qualify for initial federal funding, U.S. hospitals were required to install these systems and use them in one in every ten patient transactions. This use is anticipated to increase in frequency as the technology becomes more widespread.