On-screen computer reminders have a modest effect on care

January 01, 0001

On-screen computer reminders have a modest effect on care

Clinical Question:How effective are on-screen, point of care computer reminders on processes and outcomes of care?

Bottom line: http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/gp-resources/pearls/2009/november-2009/23/-on-screen-computer-reminders-have-a-modest-effect-on-care--.aspx

Caveat: Although some studies showed larger benefits than these median effects, no specific reminders or features of how they worked were consistently associated with these larger benefits. More research is needed to identify what types of reminders work and when.

Context: The opportunity to improve care by delivering decision support to clinicians at the point of care represents one of the main incentives for implementing sophisticated clinical information systems. Previous reviews of computer reminder and decision support systems have reported mixed effects, possibly because they did not distinguish point of care computer reminders from email alerts, computer-generated paper reminders, and other modes of delivering "computer reminders".

Cochrane Systematic Review: Shojania KG et al. The effects of on-screen, point of care computer reminders on processes and outcomes of care. Cochrane Reviews 2009, Issue 3. Article No. CD001096. DOI: 10.1002/14651858. CD001096.pub2. This review contains 28 studies involving 126,099 participants.

Cochrane PEARLS Practical Evidence About Real Life Situations. No. 209, October 2009.
Written by Brian R McAvoy. Published by the Cochrane Primary Care Group

Category: HSR. Health Services Research. Keywords: computer, reminder, point-of-care
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 6 April 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care

To obtain Pearls directly, sign up here for the english language version

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.