Improving the quality of the order-writing process for inpatient orders in a teaching hospital.
BACKGROUND
Physicians' illegible handwriting is a notorious contributing factor to medical errors. Furthermore, an illegible signature or failure to print prescribers' name interferes with the ability of staff to clarify orders.


METHODS
We surveyed support medical staff at a teaching hospital before and 2 months after providing all internal medicine department residents a self-inking stamp with their name and pager number.


RESULTS
Responses were received from 51% at the first and 36% at the second survey of 401 eligible staff. Responses to questions regarding illegible or absent signature, illegible or absent pager number, and failure to print prescribers' name showed a significant improvement (P < .0001) after 52 residents working in the hospital started to sign orders with their stamp. The support staff also noted a significant reduction in the time required to contact a physician to clarify orders, from more than 10 minutes to 1 to 5 minutes (P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians signing orders using a stamp with their name and pager number provide support staff legible identification, leading to an improvement in the quality of the order-writing process. This kind of signature allows clarification of orders in a timely fashion.
Boehringer
Peter A
PA
The University of California San Francisco, Fresno Medical Education Program, Fresno, California 93703, USA. pboehringer@fresno.ucsf.edu
Rylander
Jeanette
J
Dizon
Dominic T
DT
Peterson
Michael W
MW
D006236:Handwriting; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010820:Physicians; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*