Effects of a computerized order set on the inpatient management of hyperglycemia: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of a computerized order set on the inpatient management of diabetes and hyperglycemia.

METHODS

We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial on the general medical service of an academic medical center staffed by residents and hospitalists. Consecutively enrolled patients with diabetes mellitus or inpatient hyperglycemia were randomized on the basis of their medical team to usual care (control group) or an admission order set built into the hospital's computer provider order entry (CPOE) system (intervention group). All teams received a detailed subcutaneous insulin protocol and case-based education. The primary outcome was the mean percent of glucose readings per patient between 60 and 180 mg/dL.

RESULTS

Between April 5 and June 22, 2006, we identified 179 eligible study subjects. The mean percent of glucose readings per patient between 60 and 180 mg/dL was 75% in the intervention group and 71% in the usual care group (adjusted relative risk, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.80). In comparison with usual care, the intervention group also had a lower patient-day weighted mean glucose (148 mg/dL versus 158 mg/dL, P = .04), less use of sliding-scale insulin by itself (25% versus 58%, P = .01), and no significant difference in the rate of severe hypoglycemia (glucose <40 mg/dL; 0.5% versus 0.3% of patient-days, P = .58).

CONCLUSION

The use of an order set built into a hospital's CPOE system led to improvements in glycemic control and insulin ordering without causing a significant increase in hypoglycemia. Other institutions with CPOE should consider adopting similar order sets as part of a comprehensive inpatient glycemic management program.

Rationale and design of the Pharmacist Intervention for Low Literacy in Cardiovascular Disease (PILL-CVD) study

BACKGROUND

Medication errors and adverse drug events are common after hospital discharge due to changes in medication regimens, suboptimal discharge instructions, and prolonged time to follow-up. Pharmacist-based interventions may be effective in promoting the safe and effective use of medications, especially among high-risk patients such as those with low health literacy.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Pharmacist Intervention for Low Literacy in Cardiovascular Disease (PILL-CVD) study is a randomized controlled trial conducted at 2 academic centers-Vanderbilt University Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome or acute decompensated heart failure were randomly assigned to usual care or intervention. The intervention consisted of pharmacist-assisted medication reconciliation, inpatient pharmacist counseling, low-literacy adherence aids, and tailored telephone follow-up after discharge. The primary outcome is the occurrence of serious medication errors in the first 30 days after hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes are health care utilization, disease-specific quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. Enrollment was completed September 2009. A total of 862 patients were enrolled, and 430 patients were randomly assigned to receive the intervention. Analyses will determine whether the intervention was effective in reducing serious medication errors, particularly in patients with low health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS

The PILL-CVD study was designed to reduce serious medication errors after hospitalization through a pharmacist-based intervention. The intervention, if effective, will inform health care facilities on the use of pharmacist-assisted medication reconciliation, inpatient counseling, low-literacy adherence aids, and patient follow-up after discharge. Clinical Trial Registration- clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT00632021.

Documentation-based clinical decision support to improve antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections in primary care: a cluster randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Clinical guidelines discourage antibiotic prescribing for many acute respiratory infections (ARIs), especially for non-antibiotic appropriate diagnoses. Electronic health record (EHR)-based clinical decision support has the potential to improve antibiotic prescribing for ARIs.

METHODS

We randomly assigned 27 primary care clinics to receive an EHR-integrated, documentation-based clinical decision support system for the care of patients with ARIs - the ARI Smart Form - or to offer usual care. The primary outcome was the antibiotic prescribing rate for ARIs in an intent-to-intervene analysis based on administrative diagnoses.

RESULTS

During the intervention period, patients made 21 961 ARI visits to study clinics. Intervention clinicians used the ARI Smart Form in 6% of 11 954 ARI visits. The antibiotic prescribing rate in the intervention clinics was 39% versus 43% in the control clinics (odds ratio (OR), 0.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.6-1.2, adjusted for clustering by clinic). For antibiotic appropriate ARI diagnoses, the antibiotic prescribing rate was 54% in the intervention clinics and 59% in the control clinics (OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.5-1.3). For non-antibiotic appropriate diagnoses, the antibiotic prescribing rate was 32% in the intervention clinics and 34% in the control clinics (OR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.6-1.4). When the ARI Smart Form was used, based on diagnoses entered on the form, the antibiotic prescribing rate was 49% overall, 88% for antibiotic appropriate diagnoses and 27% for non-antibiotic appropriate diagnoses. In an as-used analysis, the ARI Smart Form was associated with a lower antibiotic prescribing rate for acute bronchitis (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8).

CONCLUSIONS

The ARI Smart Form neither reduced overall antibiotic prescribing nor significantly improved the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing for ARIs, but it was not widely used. When used, the ARI Smart Form may improve diagnostic accuracy compared to administrative diagnoses and may reduce antibiotic prescribing for certain diagnoses.

Hospital readmission in general medicine patients: a prediction model

BACKGROUND

Previous studies of hospital readmission have focused on specific conditions or populations and generated complex prediction models.

OBJECTIVE

To identify predictors of early hospital readmission in a diverse patient population and derive and validate a simple model for identifying patients at high readmission risk.

DESIGN

Prospective observational cohort study.

PATIENTS

Participants encompassed 10,946 patients discharged home from general medicine services at six academic medical centers and were randomly divided into derivation (n = 7,287) and validation (n = 3,659) cohorts.

MEASUREMENTS

We identified readmissions from administrative data and 30-day post-discharge telephone follow-up. Patient-level factors were grouped into four categories: sociodemographic factors, social support, health condition, and healthcare utilization. We performed logistic regression analysis to identify significant predictors of unplanned readmission within 30 days of discharge and developed a scoring system for estimating readmission risk.

RESULTS

Approximately 17.5% of patients were readmitted in each cohort. Among patients in the derivation cohort, seven factors emerged as significant predictors of early readmission: insurance status, marital status, having a regular physician, Charlson comorbidity index, SF12 physical component score, >or=1 admission(s) within the last year, and current length of stay >2 days. A cumulative risk score of >or=25 points identified 5% of patients with a readmission risk of approximately 30% in each cohort. Model discrimination was fair with a c-statistic of 0.65 and 0.61 for the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Select patient characteristics easily available shortly after admission can be used to identify a subset of patients at elevated risk of early readmission. This information may guide the efficient use of interventions to prevent readmission.

Survey analysis of patient experience using a practice-linked PHR for type 2 diabetes mellitus

Patient experience was assessed by survey as part of a large, randomized controlled trial of a secure, practice-linked personal health record called Patient Gateway at Partners HealthCare in Boston, MA. The subjects were patients with Type 2 diabetes who prepared for their upcoming primary care visit using a previsit electronic journal. The journal generated a diabetes care plan using patient chart information and patient responses to questions in preparation for a scheduled office visit. Review of 37 surveys revealed that a diabetes care plan took 5-9 minutes (modal) to be created by the patient and helped many patients to feel more prepared for their visit (60%) and give more accurate information to their provider (53%). Study limitations included small numbers of survey participants and a bias toward white, better educated patients with better controlled diabetes. Nevertheless, the electronic journal is a promising tool for visit preparation and process improvement.

Communication and information deficits in patients discharged to rehabilitation facilities: an evaluation of five acute care hospitals

BACKGROUND

The quality of discharge documentation in patients discharged to rehabilitation centers and other subacute facilities is less well studied than that of patients discharged home.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the quality of information transfer among patients discharged from acute hospitals to subacute facilities across an integrated healthcare delivery system.

DESIGN

Retrospective evaluation of discharge documentation packets of selected patients.

SETTING

Five acute care hospitals of the Partners Healthcare System.

MEASUREMENTS

We measured the presence of specific data elements required to safely care for patients after discharge, including all data elements required by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (TJC).

RESULTS

A total of 1501 discharge documentation packets were reviewed from March 2005 through June 2007. Only 1055 (70.3%) discharge summaries had all the information required by TJC, with physical examination at admission and condition at discharge most often missing (in 11.4% and 14.2% of cases, respectively). Other deficiencies not mandated by TJC included a list of preadmission medications (missing in 20.3%) and reasons for changes in these medications at discharge (35.3%), mention of pending test results (47.2%), and postdischarge management and follow-up plans (11.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

We found room for improvement in the inclusion of data elements required for the safe transfer of patients from acute hospitals to subacute facilities, especially in areas such as medication reconciliation, pending test results, and adequate follow-up plans.

Association of communication between hospital-based physicians and primary care providers with patient outcomes

BACKGROUND

Patients admitted to general medicine inpatient services are increasingly cared for by hospital-based physicians rather than their primary care providers (PCPs). This separation of hospital and ambulatory care may result in important care discontinuities after discharge. We sought to determine whether communication between hospital-based physicians and PCPs influences patient outcomes.

METHODS

We approached consecutive patients admitted to general medicine services at six US academic centers from July 2001 to June 2003. A random sample of the PCPs for consented patients was contacted 2 weeks after patient discharge and surveyed about communication with the hospital medical team. Responses were linked with the 30-day composite patient outcomes of mortality, hospital readmission, and emergency department (ED) visits obtained through follow-up telephone survey and National Death Index search. We used hierarchical multi-variable logistic regression to model whether communication with the patient's PCP was associated with the 30-day composite outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 1,772 PCPs for 2,336 patients were surveyed with 908 PCPs responses and complete patient follow-up available for 1,078 patients. The PCPs for 834 patients (77%) were aware that their patient had been admitted to the hospital. Of these, direct communication between PCPs and inpatient physicians took place for 194 patients (23%), and a discharge summary was available within 2 weeks of discharge for 347 patients (42%). Within 30 days of discharge, 233 (22%) patients died, were readmitted to the hospital, or visited an ED. In adjusted analyses, no relationship was seen between the composite outcome and direct physician communication (adjusted odds ratio 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.56 - 1.34), the presence of a discharge summary (0.84, 95% CI 0.57-1.22), or PCP awareness of the index hospitalization (1.08, 95% CI 0.73-1.59).

CONCLUSION

Analysis of communication between PCPs and inpatient medical teams revealed much room for improvement. Although communication during handoffs of care is important, we were not able to find a relationship between several aspects of communication and associated adverse clinical outcomes in this multi-center patient sample.

Effects of a subcutaneous insulin protocol, clinical education, and computerized order set on the quality of inpatient management of hyperglycemia: results of a clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Inpatient hyperglycemia is associated with poor patient outcomes. It is unknown how best to implement glycemic management strategies in the non-intensive care unit (ICU) setting.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of a multifaceted quality improvement intervention on the management of medical inpatients with diabetes mellitus or hyperglycemia.

DESIGN

Before-after trial.

SETTING

Geographically localized general medical service staffed by physician's assistants (PAs) and hospitalists.

PATIENTS

Consecutively enrolled patients with type 2 diabetes or inpatient hyperglycemia.

INTERVENTION

A detailed subcutaneous insulin protocol, an admission order set built into the hospital's computerized order entry system, and case-based educational workshops and lectures to nurses, physicians, and PAs.

MEASUREMENTS

Mean percent of glucose readings per patient between 60 and 180 mg/dL; percent patient-days with hypoglycemia; insulin use patterns; and hospital length of stay.

RESULTS

The mean percent of readings per patient between 60 and 180 mg/dL was 59% prior to the intervention and 65% afterward (adjusted effect size 9.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6%-18.8%). The percent of patient days with any hypoglycemia was 5.5% preintervention and 6.1% afterward (adjusted odds ratio 1.1; 95% CI, 0.6-2.1). Use of scheduled nutritional insulin increased from 40% to 75% (odds ratio 4.5; 95% CI, 2.0-9.9) and adjusted length of stay decreased by 25% (95% CI, 9%-44%). Daily insulin adjustment did not improve, nor did glucose control beyond hospital day 3.

CONCLUSIONS

This multifaceted intervention, which was easy to implement and required minimal resources, was associated with improvements in both insulin ordering practices and glycemic control among non-ICU medical patients.

Deficits in discharge documentation in patients transferred to rehabilitation facilities on anticoagulation: results of a systemwide evaluation

BACKGROUND

Anticoagulation is a commonly prescribed and effective therapy for several medical conditions but requires detailed communication among clinicians to avoid adverse patient outcomes following hospital discharge.

METHODS

Discharge documentation packets of a sample of patients discharged from all five acute care hospitals of the Partners Healthcare System to 30 subacute facilities in Boston and prescribed anticoagulation for treatment or prophylaxis of thromboembolic disease were evaluated. Required data elements included information on anticoagulation indication, duration, dosing, monitoring, and follow-up. Discharge documentation packets were randomly selected for reviewers at acute sites, whereas reviewers at subacute sites selected which packets to review.

RESULTS

Of 757 patients prescribed anticoagulation at discharge from March 2005 through June 2007, duration of therapy (for unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin [UFH/LMWH]) and recent dosing and monitoring information (for warfarin) were the areas with the biggest deficits. Of the patients prescribed UFH/LMWH or warfarin, 45.4% and 16.4%, respectively, had all the required information in the discharge summary. Patients discharged from community hospitals were more likely to be discharged with all the information needed for the use of warfarin (Odds Ratio [OR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-5.46) or UFH/LMWH (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.98-4.44) than patients discharged from academic medical centers.

DISCUSSION

Important information to safely prescribe anticoagulation after discharge was often missing from the discharge summaries of patients transferred from acute hospitals to subacute facilities. Future research should focus on developing, implementing, and evaluating quality improvement interventions to address this gap.

Improving management of chronic diseases with documentation-based clinical decision support: results of a pilot study

Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) have the potential to improve patient care. We developed the Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes Mellitus (CAD/DM) Smart Form as a documentation-based application that provides decision support for the management of chronic diseases. Results of a pilot study suggest that the CAD/DM Smart Form has the potential to improve patient care.

Effectiveness of health maintenance reminders provided directly to patients

Provider-centric Electronic Health Records (EHRs) with clinical decision support have had a modest impact on improving quality care. However, they do not directly engage patients in promoting guideline adherence. Tethered Personal Health Records (PHRs) in contrast, can deliver decision support to both patients and providers. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of providing seven screening reminders directly to patients via a PHR. Patients receiving the intervention were significantly more likely to receive Pap smears. No difference was seen for the other reminders.

Design and implementation of a web-based patient portal linked to an electronic health record designed to improve medication safety: the Patient Gateway medications module

In this article we describe the background, design, and preliminary results of a medications module within Patient Gateway (PG), a patient portal linked to an electronic health record (EHR). The medications module is designed to improve the accuracy of medication lists within the EHR, reduce adverse drug events and improve patient-provider communication regarding medications and allergies in several primary care practices within a large integrated healthcare delivery network. This module allows patients to view and modify the list of medications and allergies from the EHR, report non-adherence, side effects and other medication-related problems and easily communicate this information to providers, who can verify the information and update the EHR as needed. Usage and satisfaction data indicate that patients found the module easy to use, felt that it led to their providers having more accurate information about them and enabled them to feel more prepared for their forthcoming visits. Further analyses will determine the effects of this module on important medication-related outcomes and identify further enhancements needed to improve on this approach.

Practice-linked online personal health records for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Web-based personal health records (PHRs) have been advocated as a means to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) care. However, few Web-based systems are linked directly to the electronic medical record (EMR) used by physicians.

METHODS

We randomized 11 primary care practices. Intervention practices received access to a DM-specific PHR that imported clinical and medications data, provided patient-tailored decision support, and enabled the patient to author a "Diabetes Care Plan" for electronic submission to their physician prior to upcoming appointments. Active control practices received a PHR to update and submit family history and health maintenance information. All patients attending these practices were encouraged to sign up for online access.

RESULTS

We enrolled 244 patients with DM (37% of the eligible population with registered online access, 4% of the overall population of patients with DM). Study participants were younger (mean age, 56.1 years vs 60.3 years; P < .001) and lived in higher-income neighborhoods (median income, $53,784 vs $49,713; P < .001) but had similar baseline glycemic control compared with nonparticipants. More patients in the intervention arm had their DM treatment regimens adjusted (53% vs 15%; P < .001) compared with active controls. However, there were no significant differences in risk factor control between study arms after 1 year (P = .53).

CONCLUSIONS

Previsit use of online PHR linked to the EMR increased rates of DM-related medication adjustment. Low rates of online patient account registration and good baseline control among participants limited the intervention's impact on overall risk factor control.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00251875.

Implementation of a physician assistant/hospitalist service in an academic medical center: impact on efficiency and patient outcomes

BACKGROUND

Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour restrictions have led to the widespread implementation of non-house staff services in academic medical centers, yet little is known about the quality and efficiency of patient care on such services.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the quality and efficiency of patient care on a physician assistant/hospitalist service compared with that of traditional house staff services.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Inpatient general medicine service of a 747-bed academic medical center.

PATIENTS

A total of 5194 consecutive patients admitted to the general medical service from July 2005 to June 2006, including 992 patients on the physician assistant/hospitalist service and 4202 patients on a traditional house staff service.

INTERVENTION

A geographically localized service staffed with physician assistants and supervised by hospitalists.

MEASUREMENTS

Length of stay (LOS), cost of care, inpatient mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) transfers, readmissions, and patient satisfaction.

RESULTS

Patients admitted to the study service were younger, had lower comorbidity scores, and were more likely to be admitted at night. After adjustment for these and other factors, and for clustering by attending physician, total cost of care was marginally lower on the study service (adjusted costs 3.9% lower; 95% confidence interval [CI] -7.5% to -0.3%), but LOS was not significantly different (adjusted LOS 5.0% higher; 95% CI, -0.4% to +10%) as compared with house staff services. No difference was seen in inpatient mortality, ICU transfers, readmissions, or patient satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

For general medicine inpatients admitted to an academic medical center, a service staffed by hospitalists and physician assistants can provide a safe alternative to house staff services, with comparable efficiency.

Classifying and predicting errors of inpatient medication reconciliation

BACKGROUND

Failure to reconcile medications across transitions in care is an important source of potential harm to patients. Little is known about the predictors of unintentional medication discrepancies and how, when, and where they occur.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the reasons, timing, and predictors of potentially harmful medication discrepancies.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

PATIENTS

Admitted general medical patients.

MEASUREMENTS

Study pharmacists took gold-standard medication histories and compared them with medical teams' medication histories, admission and discharge orders. Blinded teams of physicians adjudicated all unexplained discrepancies using a modification of an existing typology. The main outcome was the number of potentially harmful unintentional medication discrepancies per patient (potential adverse drug events or PADEs).

RESULTS

Among 180 patients, 2066 medication discrepancies were identified, and 257 (12%) were unintentional and had potential for harm (1.4 per patient). Of these, 186 (72%) were due to errors taking the preadmission medication history, while 68 (26%) were due to errors reconciling the medication history with discharge orders. Most PADEs occurred at discharge (75%). In multivariable analyses, low patient understanding of preadmission medications, number of medication changes from preadmission to discharge, and medication history taken by an intern were associated with PADEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Unintentional medication discrepancies are common and more often due to errors taking an accurate medication history than errors reconciling this history with patient orders. Focusing on accurate medication histories, on potential medication errors at discharge, and on identifying high-risk patients for more intensive interventions may improve medication safety during and after hospitalization.

Deficits in discharge documentation in patients transferred to rehabilitation facilities on anticoagulation: results of a systemwide evaluation

BACKGROUND

Anticoagulation is a commonly prescribed and effective therapy for several medical conditions but requires detailed communication among clinicians to avoid adverse patient outcomes following hospital discharge.

METHODS

Discharge documentation packets of a sample of patients discharged from all five acute care hospitals of the Partners Healthcare System to 30 subacute facilities in Boston and prescribed anticoagulation for treatment or prophylaxis of thromboembolic disease were evaluated. Required data elements included information on anticoagulation indication, duration, dosing, monitoring, and follow-up. Discharge documentation packets were randomly selected for reviewers at acute sites, whereas reviewers at subacute sites selected which packets to review.

RESULTS

Of 757 patients prescribed anticoagulation at discharge from March 2005 through June 2007, duration of therapy (for unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin [UFH/LMWH]) and recent dosing and monitoring information (for warfarin) were the areas with the biggest deficits. Of the patients prescribed UFH/LMWH or warfarin, 45.4% and 16.4%, respectively, had all the required information in the discharge summary. Patients discharged from community hospitals were more likely to be discharged with all the information needed for the use of warfarin (Odds Ratio [OR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-5.46) or UFH/LMWH (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.98-4.44) than patients discharged from academic medical centers.

DISCUSSION

Important information to safely prescribe anticoagulation after discharge was often missing from the discharge summaries of patients transferred from acute hospitals to subacute facilities. Future research should focus on developing, implementing, and evaluating quality improvement interventions to address this gap.

"Smart Forms" in an Electronic Medical Record: documentation-based clinical decision support to improve disease management

Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) integrated within Electronic Medical Records (EMR) hold the promise of improving healthcare quality. To date the effectiveness of CDSS has been less than expected, especially concerning the ambulatory management of chronic diseases. This is due, in part, to the fact that clinicians do not use CDSS fully. Barriers to clinicians' use of CDSS have included lack of integration into workflow, software usability issues, and relevance of the content to the patient at hand. At Partners HealthCare, we are developing "Smart Forms" to facilitate documentation-based clinical decision support. Rather than being interruptive in nature, the Smart Form enables writing a multi-problem visit note while capturing coded information and providing sophisticated decision support in the form of tailored recommendations for care. The current version of the Smart Form is designed around two chronic diseases: coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus. The Smart Form has potential to improve the care of patients with both acute and chronic conditions.

Evaluation of an inpatient computerized medication reconciliation system

We designed the Pre-Admission Medication List (PAML) Builder medication reconciliation application and implemented it at two academic hospitals. We asked 1,714 users to complete a survey of their satisfaction with the application and analyzed factors associated with user efficiency. The survey was completed by 626 (36.5%) users. Most (64%) responders agreed that medication reconciliation improves patient care. Improvement requests included better medication information sources and propagation of medication information to order entry. Sixty-nine percent of admitting clinicians reported a typical time to build a PAML of <10 min. Decreased reported time to build a PAML was associated with reported experience with the application and ease of use but not the average number of medications on the PAML. Most users agreed that medication reconciliation improves patient care but requested tighter integration of the different stages of the medication reconciliation process. Further training may be helpful in improving user efficiency.

Improving glycemic control in medical inpatients: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Inpatient hyperglycemia is associated with poor patient outcomes. Current guidelines recommend that in an inpatient non-ICU setting there be treatment to achieve a glucose level below 180 mg/dL.

METHODS

Objectives of this prospective quality-improvement pilot study were to implement a subcutaneous insulin protocol on a general medicine service, to identify barriers to implementation, and to determine the effect of this protocol on glycemic control. Eighty-nine patients with a preexisting diagnosis of type 2 diabetes or inpatient hyperglycemia were eligible. Study outcomes included resident acceptance of the protocol, insulin-ordering practices, and mean rate of hyperglycemia (glucose > 180 mg/dL) per person. Results were compared with those of a previously conducted observational study.

RESULTS

Residents agreed to use the protocol in 56% of cases. Reasons for declining the protocol included severity of a patient's other disease states, desire to titrate oral medications, and fear of hypoglycemia. Basal and nutritional insulin were prescribed more often in the pilot group compared with at baseline (64% vs. 49% for basal, P = .05; 13% vs. 0% for nutritional, P < .001). Basal insulin was started after the first full hospital day in 42% of patients, and only one-third of patients with any hypo- or hyperglycemia had any subsequent changes in their insulin orders. The mean rate of hyperglycemia was not significantly different between groups (31.6% of measurements per patient vs. 33.3%, P = .85).

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to a new inpatient subcutaneous insulin protocol was fair. Barriers included fear of hypoglycemia, delays in starting basal insulin, and clinical inertia. Quality improvement efforts likely need to target these barriers to successfully improve inpatient glycemic control.

The coronary artery disease quality dashboard: a chronic care disease management tool in an electronic health record

Quality reporting tools, integrated with ambulatory electronic health records (EHRs), may help clinicians understand performance, manage populations, and improve quality. The Coronary Artery Disease Quality Dash board (CAD QD) is a secure web report for performance measurement of a chronic care condition delivered through a central data warehouse and custom-built reporting tool. Pilot evaluation of the CAD Quality Dash board indicates that clinicians prefer a quality report that combines not only structured data from EHRs but one that facilitates actions to be taken on individual patients or on a population, i.e., for case management.

Can a "Smart Form" increase physicians' satisfactions with managing patient health behavior risks? Results of a physician satisfaction survey

Results of a pilot study suggest that the Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes Mellitus Smart Form may help clinicians in managing diet and exercise in patients with chronic diseases by making patient handouts and exercise prescriptions readily available at the time of the visit.

Clinical decision support to improve antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections: results of a pilot study

Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) are the number one reason for antibiotic prescribing in the United States, and much antibiotic prescribing for ARIs is inappropriate. We designed an electronic health record-integrated, documentation-based clinical decision support system for the care of patients with ARIs, the ARI Smart Form. To evaluate the ARI Smart Form and assess the feasibility of performing a larger trial, we conducted a pilot study with 10 clinicians who used the ARI Smart Form with 26 patients. Clinicians prescribed antibiotics to 6 of 6 patients with antibiotic-appropriate diagnoses and to 3 of 20 (15%) patients with antibiotic-inappropriate diagnoses. The average duration of use of the ARI Smart Form was 7.5 (SD+/-4.5) minutes. Eight of 10 respondents reported that the ARI Smart Form was either time-neutral or timesaving. The ARI Smart Form requires further evaluation but has the potential to improve workflow and reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.