The following study, which was published online in February in the Journal for Healthcare Quality, evaluates the impact of implementing a clinical decision-support (CDS) system to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE), or the formation of blood clots in the body. The study was coauthored by quality and information technology experts at Truman Medical Centers, a member of America’s Essential Hospitals.
- Computerized Clinical Decision Support to Prevent Venous Thromboembolism among Hospitalized Patients: Proximal Outcomes from a Multiyear Quality Improvement Project (subscription only)
A CDS system helps providers make informed clinical decisions at the point of care by offering data analysis culled from related scenarios. To determine how CDS systems affect VTE incidence, the researchers examined electronic health record data from one urban tertiary and level I trauma center and one suburban hospital. They found that patients benefiting from VTE CDS were 35 percent less likely to develop the condition and that CDS systems enable physicians to use guidelines to make VTE prophylaxis decisions at the point of care.
