Implementing CPOE is a key to reducing costly medical errors. When appropriately used, CPOE can also improve patient safety and boost the quality of care. However, CPOE implementation can be a tedious task. Hene, the need for a competent CPOE contractor.
A study identified the three most common barriers as process change, inadequate training, and efficacy of most CPOE processes. CPOE is an order entry solution designed to help physicians create and manage medical orders for patient medications, tests, and other services. The main benefits of a CPOE application include:
- Reducing adverse drug events and reactions
- Mitigating incomplete orders and incorrect dosages
- Decreasing illegible orders caused by doctors’ lousy handwriting
- Accelerating turnaround time for the initial medication dose
- Improving provider and pharmacist productivity
While the use of CPOE has apparent benefits, the impediments keep many providers from reaping its benefits. Working with a CPOE contractor or consultant can turn the tide and make it easy for healthcare practices to use CPOE effectively.
Here are some of the benefits of working with a CPOE consultant.
1. Overcoming Physician Resistance
Many physicians still believe that using a CPOE system will result in more workload. These doctors are already overwhelmed by the data entry demands of some EHRs. So, for them, paper-based ordering may be faster.
Instead of hospitals suspending their CPOE implementation, they need to engage the physicians in the implementation process. Your consultant will help to establish an implementation team. The team should have a leader that can influence other colleagues and encourage them to learn to use the new system.
2. Providing Adequate Training
CPOE is not a trivial system. So it requires extensive training of all doctors, nurses, and providers of ancillary services. Depending on the hospital’s size and the number of physicians, CPOE training may take up to 18 months before the “go live” date.
In many cases, the computer usage skills of older physicians need to be sharpened. Younger physicians who are more computer savvy can be drafted to help the more senior doctors.
Your consultant can make a demo system available for training and install it near the doctor’s lounge for easy accessibility. Such an arrangement will allow clinicians to use the training system without interrupting workflows.
During training, a team coached by the consultant will provide one-on-one assistance to anyone who needs it.
3. Effective Resource Allocation
Healthcare organizations must allocate adequate resources for CPOE implementation. Distributing already scarce resources to a new IT project is a significant roadblock for smaller practices.
However, your consultant can help you create a payment schedule that allows you to pay in installments. You can also opt for a cloud-based application that will enable you to make monthly or annual payments, which are more convenient for most small and mid-sized practices.
4. On-Going Support
Every system needs continuous support after installation, and CPOE is not an exception. Ideally, every hospital should have qualified employees who can work effectively in the medical and information technology fields. But this is not the present reality. Qualified health IT personnel are not easy to find or retain. The demand for health IT and computer science graduates is increasing consistently. So, many small practices cannot keep them.
That is why it is essential to have a working partnership with a CPOE consultant. Your hospital will enjoy the necessary support, and physicians will focus better on providing high-quality care for patients.
Get the Full Benefits of Working With a CPOE Contractor
For more information on working with a CPOE consultant, contact Lifepoint Informatics today through our contact page or give us a call now at 877.522.8378.