An exploratory study measuring verbal order content and context.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Informatics
• Patient Safety
• Clinical Communication

Background:

• Verbal orders are crucial in healthcare but linked to reduced quality and safety.
• Limited research exists on verbal order content and contextual variables.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify variables influencing verbal order content and context.
• Analyze verbal order utilization and medication safety in a hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• Data collected via paper-based manual audit.
• Analysis of data from a computerized provider order entry system.

Main Results:

• Examined variations in verbal order types and timing across hospital units.
• Assessed changes in verbal order use post-implementation of computerized provider order entry.
• Analyzed the presence of sound-alike and high-alert medications in verbal orders.

Conclusions:

• Understanding verbal order variables is key to improving healthcare quality and safety.
• Computerized provider order entry may impact verbal order utilization.
• Further research needed on medication safety within verbal orders.