Software system ends errors with illegible prescriptions
Florida Hospital unveiled a new computerized system that reduces 88 percent of medical errors attributed to illegible handwriting. ...
By AIYANA BAIDA
Highlands Today
SEBRING - Florida Hospital unveiled a new computerized system that reduces 88 percent of medical errors attributed to illegible handwriting.
On Thursday, Dr. Qammer Bokhari, medical director for Adventist Health System, which is Florida Hospital's parent company, announced the Computerized Physician Order Entry software program will go live in their Lake Placid, Sebring and Wauchula locations on Sept. 8.
"This is a huge deal for our patients. They are going to have their safety intact," said Cathy Albritton, Florida Hospital spokesperson.
Rather than handwriting prescriptions and medical orders, the software allows physicians to enter them directly into a computer system. Patients will no longer need a paper prescription because it will be sent electronically to the pharmacy.
The program reduces errors by 88 percent and reduces call backs to doctors and nurses by 85 percent. This gives doctors and patients more time to spend with their patients and improves patient safety.
The program is currently live in four of Adventist Health System hospitals. Florida Hospital's Heartland division is the second in Florida to use the program.
As of December 2009, only 4 percent of the nation's hospitals have this kind of technology.
"Medication errors have been shown to be a problem, but with this technology it can be prevented," said Dr. Jorge Gonzalez, Florida Hospital physician.
In the 23 years Gonzalez has practiced internal medicine in Highlands County, he says illegibility has been a major concern among the medical community.
Dr. Phil Smith, chief medical information officer for Adventist, said most medical errors are caused by illegibility of physicians' or prescribers' handwriting. This can lead to a potentially wrong or deadly dose of medication in patients.
"With the computer system, orders will be crystal clear," Smith said.
The program is in full function at the hospitals in Zephyrhills and Greeneville, Tenn., and staff has seen improvement.
Smith said overdoses with blood thinner medications were avoided in 12 patients at both hospitals. And 565 patients with sleep apnea were saved from a potential respiratory depression after the computer program detected issues in medications prescribed.
The medications would have stopped their breathing if combined.
"It is pretty amazing that we had 565 patients that were rescued," Smith said.
The program finds warning signals using the patients' medical history and prescribed medications.
Employees will begin training on the new software in July until the live launch of the program. It will be used in hospital care, prescriptions, follow up visits and emergency room pre- and post-operative care.
Highlands Today reporter Aiyana Baida can be reached at
863-386-5855 or nbaida@highlandstoday.com
5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM
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