Electronic medical record (EMR) systems and e-prescribing by physicians have the potential to reduce the incidence of medical errors and to improve the provision of care to patients through better compliance with recommended standards, improved coordination of care, and ready access to current information. 1, 2 In 2008, after a national survey , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C...

Mechanical ventilation can be perceived as a treatment with a very narrow therapeutic window, i.e., highly efficient but with considerable side effects if not used properly and in a timely manner. Protocols and guidelines have been designed to make mechanical ventilation safer and protective for the lung. However, variable effects and low compliance with use of written protocols have been repor...

BACKGROUND AND METHODS Optimal decisions about the use of antibiotics and other antiinfective agents in critically ill patients require access to a large amount of complex information. We have developed a computerized decision-support program linked to computer-based patient records that can assist physicians in the use of antiinfective agents and improve the quality of care. This program prese...

Histopathology of testicular tissue is considered to be the most sensitive tool to detect adverse effects on male reproduction. When assessing tissue damage, seminiferous epithelium needs to be classified into different stages to detect certain cell damages; but stage identification is a demanding task. The authors present a method to identify the 12 stages in mink testicular tissue. The stagin...

Background. The NeuroTrax Mindstreams computerized cognitive assessment system was designed for widespread clinical and research use. A requirement for its use in longitudinal testing is demonstration of good test-retest reliability. To minimize practice effects, alternate forms of Mindstreams tests were administered on serial testing sessions. The present study evaluated the equivalence of the...

BACKGROUND Metered-dose inhalers with valved holding chambers (MDI-VHCs) have been shown to be equivalent to small-volume nebulizers (SVNs) for the delivery of bronchodilators in children. At Seattle Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center we sought to implement the conversion from SVN to MDI-delivered albuterol in nonintubated patients receiving intermittent treatments. METHODS There...

BACKGROUND The objective of the present study was to provide a complete and detailed report of technical and logistical feasibility problems with the implementation of routine computerized HRQoL measurement at a busy outpatient department of Hepatology that can serve as a tool for future researchers interested in the procedure. METHODS Practical feasibility was assessed by observing problems ...

Communication failures during physician handoffs represent a significant source of preventable adverse events. Computerized sign-out tools linked to hospital electronic medical record systems and customized for neonatal care can facilitate standardization of the handoff process and access to clinical information, thereby improving communication and reducing adverse events. It is important to no...

This research investigates the influence of computerized search engines on consumer decision making in the electronic commerce environment. The results indicate that by providing well-designed decision aids to consumers, it is possible to significantly increase consumer confidence, satisfaction, and decision quality. Consumers who have access to query-based decision aids perceive increased cost...