title: Real-time notification of laboratory data requested by users through alphanumeric pagers.
abstract: The authors developed a novel feature in their clinical information systems, which allows clinicians to request notification about laboratory results. Clinicians who are expecting a particular laboratory result for a particular patient can request a report of the result via an alphanumeric pager as soon as the result is filed into the patient database. This feature has gained popularity and is heavily used in both inpatient and outpatient settings, at a rate of about 2,300 times per month. This event-monitor-based feature illustrates one way that information technology can be applied to improve communication in health care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA 02115, USA. epoon@partners.org
authors.forename: Eric G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Gilad J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kuperman
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fiskio
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Bates
mesh_terms: D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D006747:Hospital Communication Systems; D006751:Hospital Information Systems; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000295:instrumentation; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000295:instrumentation*