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Understanding hospital readiness for computerized physician order entry
Dona Stablein1, Emily Welebob, Elizabeth Johnson
1First Consulting Group, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. dstablein@fcg.com
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
|July 15, 2003
Summary
Hospitals implementing computerized physician order entry (CPOE) face challenges. A readiness assessment revealed significant gaps in care standardization and organizational culture, highlighting the need for strategic planning before CPOE adoption.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Healthcare Management
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Hospitals are in early stages of implementing Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) to enhance patient safety and care quality.
- CPOE implementation is a complex, large-scale change effort requiring careful planning.
- Addressing CPOE readiness gaps is crucial for successful adoption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and utilize a CPOE readiness assessment tool.
- To identify specific areas of CPOE readiness within hospitals.
- To inform strategic planning for CPOE implementation.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive CPOE readiness assessment tool was developed.
- The tool evaluated components including external environment, leadership, culture, care standardization, order management, information access, IT, and infrastructure.
- Data collection involved on-site interviews, direct observations, and document review.
Main Results:
- Assessment of 17 hospitals revealed lowest average scores in care standardization and organizational culture.
- Highest average scores were observed in organizational structure and function.
- Significant readiness gaps were identified across all assessed hospitals.
Conclusions:
- The study identified substantial gaps in CPOE readiness across hospitals.
- Addressing these gaps proactively can mitigate implementation risks.
- Developing change management expertise and focusing on CPOE readiness are vital first steps for successful implementation.