Computerized provider order entry in pediatric oncology: design, implementation, and outcomes.

Area of Science:

• Clinical Informatics
• Pediatric Oncology
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems present unique challenges in specialized environments like pediatric oncology.
• Leveraging existing CPOE safety features is crucial for enhancing clinical workflows and expert clinician input.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and customize a commercially available CPOE system within a pediatric oncology setting.
• To improve patient safety and streamline the ordering process for complex treatments in pediatric oncology.

Main Methods:

• A standard CPOE system was deployed hospital-wide.
• A multidisciplinary team of clinicians and IT experts collaborated on the pediatric oncology implementation design.
• Extensive customization included developing 30 medical logic modules and 110 order sets over 9 months.

Main Results:

• The utilization of specific research protocol or standard-of-care order sets for chemotherapy increased from 57% to 84%.
• A 39% decrease in medication-related patient safety events was observed post-CPOE implementation.
• High acceptance rates of the CPOE system were reported across all clinical disciplines.

Conclusions:

• Despite requiring significant customization, CPOE implementation successfully enhanced patient safety in pediatric oncology.
• The tailored CPOE system facilitated standardized ordering and improved the overall safety of care delivery.