Functional characteristics of commercial ambulatory electronic prescribing systems: a field study

Authors: 
Wang, C. J., Marken, R. S., Meili, R. C., Straus, J. B., Landman, A. B., Bell, D. S.
Journal: 
J Am Med Inform Assoc
Publication Date: 
2005 May-Jun
Volume: 
12
Issue: 
3
Pages: 
346-56
  • HIT Description: Ambulatory electronic prescribing systems More info...
  • Purpose of Study: compare the functional capabilities of commerical ambulatory electronic prescribing systems with a set of expert panel recommendations
  • Years of study: Not Available
  • Study Design: cross-sectional
  • Outcomes: impact on patient safety and impact on health care effectiveness and quality
Summary:
  • Settings: sample of 10/29 eligible electronic prescribing systems that were currently being used in outpatient settings at a minimum of 50 sites or by a total of 1000 users
  • Intervention: vendor interviews regarding the system and site visits to view each system
  • Evaluation Method: comparison of system attributes to previously developed expert panel recommendations on capabilities of electronic prescribing systems
  • Description: purposely sampled systems to include electronic health record (EHR) systems versus freestanding, non-EHR systems; web-based application service providers versus client-server systems; and applications available on a handheld platform versus those available only a desktop platform
  • Quality of Care and Patient Safety Outcome: On average, the systems fully implemented 50% of the recommended capabilities (range 26-64%). Prescribing systems that were part of EHR systems tended to implement more recommendations.