title: Information technology and medical missteps: evidence from a randomized trial.
abstract: We analyze the effect of a decision support tool designed to help physicians detect and correct medical "missteps". The data comes from a randomized trial of the technology on a population of commercial HMO patients. The key findings are that the new information technology lowers average charges by 6% relative to the control group. This reduction in resource utilization was the result of reduced in-patient charges (and associated professional charges) for the most costly patients. The rate at which identified issues were resolved was generally higher in the study group than in the control group, suggesting the possibility of improvements in care quality along measured dimensions and enhanced diffusion of new protocols based on new clinical evidence.
authors.affiliation: Health Directions, 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Javitt
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Rebitzer
authors.forename: Lonny
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reisman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017046:Cost Savings; D003658:Decision Making, Computer-Assisted; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical / Q000191:economics; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012984:Software