ersonal digital assistant–based drug eference software as tools to improve ational prescribing: Benchmark criteria and erformance

h f t a a a c p p p p b p a t r c w e e m p t t t r n d p URRENT NEED FOR TOOLS TO IMPROVE ATIONAL PRESCRIBING The need for rational prescribing, that is, the selecion of the most appropriate therapeutic regimen for a pecific patient, is greater than ever. For example, a ecent study identified physicians’ poor prescribing perormance as the source for over 70% of clinically ignificant medication errors in a tertiary-care setting. his may not be surprising given that physicians are xpected to incorporate vast amounts of critical inforation on an ever-increasing number of prescription edications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, nd herbal supplements into prescribing in real time. ew data on genetically determined differences in drug ction and drug metabolism become available on a aily basis. The problem is further confounded by an ging population with multiple medical problems takng multiple drugs, vitamins, and herbal preparations. imitations imposed by formulary requirements of ealth insurance plans and hospital systems further omplicate the matter. At the same time, public aware-