The effects of a computerized drug order review system

A study was carried out to investigate the impact of a computerized drug prescription monitoring system (the MSIS Drug Exception Reporting System) on clinicians' prescribing behaviors and their knowledge of pharmacotherapy. Thirty-one clinicians exposed only to a computerized drug order system (controls), and 42 exposed, in addition, to computerized monitoring (experimental), were sampled from New York State doctors working in either psychiatric or developmental disability centers. Comparisons were made of their drug prescribing behaviors and knowledge of drug prescribing. Assessments were made early on in the use of the system(s) (pre), and after the system(s) had been in use for some time (post). It was shown that computerized monitoring can have an impact on the prescribing behaviors of clinicians who work in institutional settings, acting to significantly reduce the number of orders written in exception to guidelines. Only slight changes in clinicians' knowledge about pharmacotherapy were attributed to the use of the monitoring system. Clinicians retained the position that clinicians should be monitored and that guidelines are necessary.