Computerize the Errors Away

The Boston Globe
February 21, 2008

Preventing Medication errors in Massachusetts hospitals could save $170 million while sparing patients the ill effects of these mistakes.  The best protection against errors is to computerize doctors' orders for drugs and tests.  The 63 hospitals in the state that have not taken this step - only 10 have - should do so as quickly as possible.

That is the aim of an initiative led by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the nonprofit New England Healthcare Institute.  In a study of six community hospitals, researchers found that 10 percent of patients suffered from a preventable medication error.  Fortunately, none of the errors caused a patient's death.

...Massachusetts has embarked on a healthcare reform that holds out the promise of coverage for virtually all the state's residents.  But the state is already finding the cost is higher than expected.  This puts a premium on finding and implementing cost-cutting measures that do not lower  quality.  Computerization of doctors' orders in hospitals cuts costs and raises quality.  This win-win program should top every hospital's to-do list. 

Link to Full Article: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/02/21/computerize_the_errors_away/