TY - JOUR
T1 - Decision support systems for antibiotic prescribing
AU - Sintchenko, Vitali
AU - Coiera, Enrico
AU - Gilbert, Gwendolyn L.
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - Purpose of review: To explore recent developments in computerized evidence-based guidelines and decision support systems that have been designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of antibiotic prescribing. Recent findings: The most frequently utilized decision support systems are electronic guidelines and protocols, especially for empirical selection of antibiotics. The majority of decision support systems result in improvement in clinical performance and, in at least half of the published trials, in patient outcomes. Despite the reported successes of individual applications, the safety of electronic prescribing systems in routine practice has been identified recently as an issue of potential concern. Bioinformatics-assisted prescribing may contribute to reducing the complexities of prescribing combinations of antimicrobials in the era of multidrug resistance. Summary: The reemerging interest in prescribing decision support reflects the recent change in emphasis from support for diagnostic decisions towards support for patient management and from systems targeting a broad range of clinical diagnoses to task-specific and condition-specific decision aids.
AB - Purpose of review: To explore recent developments in computerized evidence-based guidelines and decision support systems that have been designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of antibiotic prescribing. Recent findings: The most frequently utilized decision support systems are electronic guidelines and protocols, especially for empirical selection of antibiotics. The majority of decision support systems result in improvement in clinical performance and, in at least half of the published trials, in patient outcomes. Despite the reported successes of individual applications, the safety of electronic prescribing systems in routine practice has been identified recently as an issue of potential concern. Bioinformatics-assisted prescribing may contribute to reducing the complexities of prescribing combinations of antimicrobials in the era of multidrug resistance. Summary: The reemerging interest in prescribing decision support reflects the recent change in emphasis from support for diagnostic decisions towards support for patient management and from systems targeting a broad range of clinical diagnoses to task-specific and condition-specific decision aids.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=57049169733&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/QCO.0b013e3283118932
DO - 10.1097/QCO.0b013e3283118932
M3 - Review article
C2 - 18988320
AN - SCOPUS:57049169733
SN - 0951-7375
VL - 21
SP - 573
EP - 579
JO - Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
JF - Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
IS - 6
ER -