A study in the December issue of Pediatrics linking the introduction of a CPOE systems with an increase in mortality rates at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital is getting considerable attention. Researchers uncovered what appeared to be a significant spike in mortality rates for patients at the hospital, which uses Cerner's Millennium CPOE software. It appears that the process, which was used for CPOE in the intensive care unit (ICU), had some serious flaws; but it also suggests that the ICU may not be a great venue for CPOE in the first place. Blogger Mr. HISTalk, who is a hospital pharmacy IT director, has an excellent review of the article and some suggestions.
- see this blog entry from Mr. HISTalk