Cedars-Sinai Will Not Restart Computer Physician Order Entry System Before 2006, Official Says
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles will not restart its computerized physician order entry system before 2006, after suspending use of the system in January 2003 following physician complaints, a hospital official said, Modern Healthcare reports. Hospital officials four months ago gave the hospital's information technology department three months to develop a plan for moving ahead with an internally developed CPOE system. A subcommittee also considered other systems but did not decide on an alternative, according to Stephen Uman, an infectious disease specialist, member of the hospital's medical executive committee and the former chief of staff. The board of directors in January decided to put CPOE on hold, he said. "[B]asically the hospital has decided to put on hold any further experience with CPOE at least until 2006 while they work on other aspects of the computer system to help with patient admissions, patient flow, billing and so on," Uman said (Morrissey, Modern Healthcare, 2/23). Cedars-Sinai suspended use of the system, called Patient Care Expert, after physicians complained that it was compromising patient safety and was too work-intensive. The program was intended to reduce medical errors, allow physicians to electronically track their orders and provide alerts when physicians prescribe treatments that would prompt adverse reactions in patients (California Healthline, 1/22). Leslie Porras, director of public relations for Cedars-Sinai, said that the hospital will automate patient accounting and physician order entry at "a later unspecified date." Modern Healthcare reports that the hospital also will proceed with other applications within its CPOE system, including patient management and order communication. The hospital in early fall plans to automate registration, admissions, census management and discharge processes, as well as orders from nursing units to ancillary departments (Modern Healthcare, 2/23).
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