Computerized provider order entry implementation: no association with increased mortality rates in an intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to determine if there were any changes in risk-adjusted mortality after the implementation of a computerized provider order entry system in our PICU.


METHODS
Study was undertaken in a tertiary care PICU with 20 beds and 1100 annual admissions. Demographic, admission source, primary diagnosis, crude mortality, and Pediatric Risk of Mortality III risk-adjusted mortality were abstracted retrospectively on all admissions from the PICUEs database for the period October 1, 2002, to December 31, 2004. This time period reflects the 13 months before and 13 months after computerized provider order entry implementation. Pediatric Risk of Mortality III mortality risk adjustment was used to determine standardized mortality ratios.


RESULTS
During the study period, 2533 patients were admitted to the PICU, of which 284 were transported from another facility. The 13-month preimplementation mortality rate was 4.22%, and the 13-month postimplementation mortality rate was 3.46%, representing a nonsignificant reduction in the risk of mortality in the postimplementation period. The standardized mortality ratio was 0.98 vs 0.77, respectively, and the mortality rate for the transported patients was 9.6% vs 6.29%. This yields a nonsignificant mortality risk reduction in the postimplementation period. The standardized mortality ratio was 1.10 preimplementation versus 0.70 postimplementation. Analysis of the 13-month preimplementation versus 5-month postimplementation periods showed a non-statistically significant trend in reduction of mortality for all PICU patients and for transported patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Implementation of a computerized provider order entry system, even in the early months after implementation, was not associated with an increase in mortality. Our experience suggests that careful design, build, implementation, and support can mitigate the risk of implementing new technology even in an ICU setting.
Del Beccaro
Mark A
MA
Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Mail Stop B5520, 4800 Sandpoint Way NE, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA. mark.delbeccaro@seattlechildrens.org
Jeffries
Howard E
HE
Eisenberg
Matthew A
MA
Harry
Eric D
ED
D002648:Child; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007902:Length of Stay; D050316:Medical Order Entry Systems; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010360:Patient Transfer; D020379:Risk Adjustment; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology