An ICU clinical information system - Clinicians' expectations and perceptions of its impact

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is an information intense environment where Clinical Information Systems (CISs) can greatly impact patient care and the workload of clinicians. With the introduction of an ICU CIS imminent across New South Wales hospitals, we aimed to understand how ICU clinicians perceived a new system would impact on work practices in Australian ICUs, as much of the current evidence is generated from overseas. We conducted interviews with 66 doctors and nurses in 3 ICUs without a CIS. Many had positive perceptions regarding the impact of its introduction, though others were more guarded and unsure. Clinicians believed information access to patient would improve, communication processes could potentially change and there was potential for work processes to be more efficient. It was expected that ward rounds and handover would be less disrupted with all information available at the bedside or at the handover setting. There were mixed responses about whether a CIS would save time and how it would influence patient care, though the majority believed a CIS would improve safety by providing a means for increasing accountability and reducing medication errors. Concerns were raised about the transition from paper to a CIS and the training required. This information provides valuable evidence in the Australian setting regarding clinicians' expectations of a new ICU CIS to assist with future implementations. It also provides baseline data as a foundation for future research once the CIS is implemented. It is clear that robust quantitative studies are required to gain a detailed understanding of how a new CIS will impact clinicians' work processes and that appropriate training is crucial for full benefits to be achieved.