Evaluating the Impact of CPOE Systems on Medical Workflow: a Mixed Method Study

For a successful design and deployment of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems which support medical workflow, thorough understanding of workflow and its changes after the CPOE implementation are crucial. For this purpose, this PhD study incorporates insights from multiple disciplines and uses mixed research methods to study a CPOE implementation case at a Dutch hospital. The study evaluates the workflow of different user groups in different phases of the implementation. The results have shown that the system impacted workflow both positively and negatively. Although providers exploited its supportive features in workflow, they also needed to devise a number of workarounds to overcome its simultaneously introduced barriers in workflow.