Using CPOE to Drive Prescribing Change

The Problem

More than one million serious medication errors occur each year in U.S. hospitals. The IOM attributes at least $3.5 billion in extra costs a year to such errors, not counting lost wages and productivity. About 10 years ago, Winthrop administrative and clinical leaders began an initiative to reduce its medication-related mishaps.

The Solution

As part of an ambitious plan to prevent medication errors, Winthrop changed the prescribing culture by initiating systemic changes. A linchpin of the effort was implementing a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system.