U. of Mich. Health Systems claims online system cuts mistakes by 29 percent

ANN ARBOR, Mich. The University of Michigan Health Systems has created a new online order entry system designed to cut medication mistakes and in early testing it has done so by 29 percent, according to published reports.

The health system recently completed a $95 million, three-year implementation of its UM-CareLink, which allows physicians, nurses and technicians to order laboratory tests, procedures, medications and nutrition services online from any computer, and has shaved 40 percent off the time between ordering and administration of urgent medications.

With medication errors accounting for the No.1 problem in most hospitals, according to Darrell Campbell Jr., chief of staff and senior associate director at the UMHS, it is important the university work on increasing the percentage to lower medication errors.

The next step will be the development of a bar-code system for nurses to use on patients’ wristbands that would scan the medicine container and then allow the system to check the drug and dose. Further down the road, the plan is to spread the system across all medical institutions and to expand it even further to check for allergies and drug interactions.