Christiana Care Health System executives see their recent launch of computerized provider order entry as a giant leap forward toward a comprehensive electronic health record.
Based in Wilmington, Del., Christiana is one of the largest healthcare providers in the mid-Atlantic region, serving all of Delaware and portions of seven counties bordering the state in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey.
The CPOE system went live on Jan. 28 at Christiana Care's Wilmington Hospital to be followed soon at Christiana Hospital. It will be the most extensive use of CPOE in Delaware and one of only a handful in the region, officials say.
"CPOE transforms the way we provide care to our patients because it emphasizes patient safety by dramatically reducing the risk of medication and order entry errors," says Terri Steinberg, MD, Christiana Care's chief medical information officer. "It also helps doctors to be more efficient in patient care."
With bar-coded wristbands and an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) system already in place, Christiana Care joins a small group of healthcare organizations with CPOE. According to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) standards, the addition of CPOE puts Christiana Care in the top 3.6 percent of hospitals in the United States.
It also means that Christiana Care is closer to its goal of establishing a comprehensive EHR system. The government's mandate is for hospitals to increase use of EHR from 10 percent in 2009 to 55 percent by 2014.
CPOE provides real-time patient identification and data on allergies and drug reactions. Doctors and nurses can review orders for confirmation immediately, streamlining delivery to the patient. On average, patients go home from the hospital sooner, reducing costs, according to a Harvard Medical School study.
The technology reduces repeat tests and turnaround times for results, as well as glitches associated with paper such as incomplete charts, Steinberg said. Because healthcare providers enter orders electronically, the system eliminates errors in deciphering doctors' handwriting.
CPOE also provides such conveniences as "smart med" pick lists, with usual doses and methods of delivery. It is equipped with hundreds of order sets for the most common diagnoses, he added. Doctors ultimately will benefit from CPOE because they can write orders from their homes or offices. They also will receive fewer return calls from the lab and pharmacy to clarify orders.
