Impact of Automated Alerts on Follow-Up of Post-Discharge Microbiology Results: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

• Published in: Journal of general internal medicine : JGIM Vol. 27; no. 10; pp. 1243 - 1250
• Main Authors: El-Kareh, Robert, Roy, Christopher, Williams, Deborah H., Poon, Eric G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.10.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Automation - standards; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical trials; Cluster Analysis; Continuity of Patient Care - standards; Continuity of Patient Care - trends; Diagnostic Tests, Routine - standards; Diagnostic Tests, Routine - trends; Electronic Mail - standards; Electronic Mail - trends; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Humans; Internal Medicine; Medical Order Entry Systems - standards; Medical Order Entry Systems - trends; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Original Research; Patient Discharge - standards; Patient Discharge - trends; Prospective Studies; transitions of care; reminder systems; pending test results; delays in diagnosis; test result management; Microbiology; Randomized controlled trial; Discharge; Delay; Care; Result; Medicine; Randomization; Cluster randomised trial; Clinical management; Follow up study; Transition; Clinical trial; reminder systems: pending test results; Diagnosis; Automatic analysis

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Failure to follow up microbiology results pending at the time of hospital discharge can delay diagnosis and treatment of important infections, harm patients, and increase the risk of litigation. Current systems to track pending tests are often inadequate. OBJECTIVE To design, imp...