The topic selected for this discussion revolves around the issue of health informatics. Modern technologies have made it easier for nurses, physicians, and caregivers to provide exemplary services to their patient. The identified topic seeks to support the use of information systems in healthcare. The application of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems in different clinics and institutions has supported the needs of both citizens and physicians. Such a topic is capable of improving the health outcomes of the greatest number of people. The field of nursing care stands a chance to benefit from various health technologies since more practitioners will minimize medication errors, streamline care delivery procedures, and solve emerging issues.
Example of Computerized Provider Order Entry
Traditional health practices are becoming obsolete because they are associated with numerous health challenges and poor medical outcomes. This gap has led to the introduction of powerful innovations that can improve care delivery procedures. Lewing, Hatfield, and Sansgiry (2017) define computerized provider order entry (CPOE) as “a system that enables physicians to send medication orders electronically rather than physically writing out the order” (p. 1).
This technology is currently making it possible for practitioners and doctors to minimize handwriting-related medication errors. CPOE also guides caregivers and health professionals to make informed decisions, thereby maximizing the level of patient safety.
The selected example for this analysis is that of CPOE with Clinical Decision Support (CPOE-CDS). This kind of health information technology (HIT) has specific features that make it unique and applicable in different settings. The first one is called ordering. This means that users can enter the required orders and share them with different recipients. The second one is that of safety. Practitioners can identify the right patients, predict drug interactions, and analyze the outlined recommendations. Additionally, CPOE-CDS systems have user-friendly interfaces. Portability is another feature that ensures that the technology manages orders for specific departments, units, or clinics. Billing is a unique aspect that links diagnoses to specific orders (Prgomet, Li, Niazkhani, Georgiou, & Westbrook, 2017).
This supports the most appropriate medical changes. The final feature associated with this type of CPOE is that it is combined with a clinical decision support system. This means that the ordering process will display patients’ medical conditions and histories, thereby empowering medical professionals to make appropriate treatment and disease management decisions.
CPOE-CDS is a new technology that can support clinical practice. Such a system is capable of transforming the way providers and doctors direct or guide patient care delivery. Practitioners and physicians can also apply or implement it in different settings in an attempt to improve individuals’ health outcomes. Forrester, Hepp, Roth, Wirtz, and Devine (2014) indicate that CPOE-CDS technology can result in minimized medication errors. The level of efficiency improves significantly when medical institutions embrace the power of these systems.
Personal Experience
This topic has impacted me positively as both a caregiver and a patient. The outstanding experience was when my team was required to provide high-quality medical services to a patient suffering from migraine. The use of CPOE-CDS technology made it easier for the physician in charge to share orders and treatment procedures for the targeted individual. The system encouraged two clinicians and psychotherapists to be involved throughout the process. The unit’s pharmacist delivered the right drugs. From this analysis, it is evident that CPOE technology presents several benefits. One of them is that it maximizes people’s health outcomes (Forrester et al., 2014).
From my experience, I observed that the collaboration of different professionals and the use of CPOE technology made it possible for them to meet the needs of the targeted patient. The approach also reduced the possibility of medication errors, thereby maximizing the level of patient safety.
The negative aspect of my experience was that the unit lacked appropriate mechanisms to monitor the applicability of this technology. This gap could result in incomplete or partial order entries. Such an issue can create dangerous conditions or situations, thereby affecting the health outcomes of the targeted patient (Prgomet et al., 2017). Health institutions can address this issue through the use of powerful monitoring procedures. This means that hospitals can hire competent technologists to crosscheck all entries and match them with the unique needs of the targeted patients. Such a strategy will ensure that high-quality medical services are available to more individuals.
The continued use of CPOE-CDS systems can benefit clinical practice by improving healthcare delivery, streamlining medical procedures, and minimizing sentinel errors. Practitioners using the technology will find it easier to form multidisciplinary teams and deliver exemplary services (Amiri, Rahimi, & Khalkhali, 2018). They will address emerging challenges and improve America’s healthcare sector.
Conclusion
The above discussion has revealed that the use of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems can transform the experiences of both patients and healthcare professionals. The identified CPOE-CDS system can empower physicians and nurses to deliver high-quality medical services, prevent sentinel events, and improve the lives of the greatest number of people. I will use this newfound insight to introduce superior technologies in my unit and support my patients’ needs.
References
Amiri, P., Rahimi, B., & Khalkhali, H. R. (2018). Determinant of successful implementation of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system from physicians’ perspective: Feasibility study prior to implementation. Electronic Physician, 10(1), 6201-6207. Web.
Forrester, S. H., Hepp, Z., Roth, J. A., Wirtz, H. S., & Devine, E. B. (2014). Cost-effectiveness of a computerized provider order entry system in improving medication safety ambulatory care. Value in Health, 17(4), 340-349. Web.
Lewing, B. D., Hatfield, M. D., & Sansgiry, S. S. (2017). Impact of computerized provider order entry systems on hospital staff pharmacist workflow productivity: A three site comparative analysis based on level of CPOE implementation. Journal of Hospital Administration, 7(1), 1-8. Web.
Prgomet, M., Li, L., Niazkhani, Z., Georgiou, A., & Westbrook, J. I. (2017). Impact of commercial computerized provider order entry (CPOE) and clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) on medication errors, length of stay, and mortality in intensive care units: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 24(2), 413-422. Web.