Portable computerised prescribing may reduce errors

Computerised prescribing systems are known to prevent errors leading to adverse drug events, but they are not widely used because of access difficulties. On p 750 Nightingale et al describe the introduction of a portable, rule based computerised system for prescribing and administration in a renal unit. The system used patient and drug information to warn of possible problems with prescriptions, and most staff thought that it was an improvement on conventional systems. As well as eliminating problems with legibility and transcription, in 11 months the system had stopped 58 unsafe prescriptions and prompted modification of 57% of other potentially high risk prescriptions.

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Relevant Article

Implementation of rules based computerised bedside prescribing and administration: intervention study

P G Nightingale, D Adu, N T Richards, and M Peters
BMJ 2000 320: 750-753. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]