Computerized Provider Order Entry With Clinical Decision Support Systems: Brief Update Review

What Are Computerized Provider Order Entry With Clinical Decision Support Systems? Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) refers to any system in which clinicians directly enter orders for medications, tests, or procedures into an electronic system, which then transmits the order directly to the recipient responsible for carrying out the order (e.g., the pharmacy, laboratory, or radiology department). These systems were initially implemented in the inpatient setting as a strategy to reduce medication errors, and their use is increasingly being broadened to include entry of all types of orders in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. A CPOE system, at a minimum, ensures standardized, legible, and complete orders and thus has the potential to greatly reduce errors at the prescribing and transcribing stages.