Table 1 Computer-based clinical decision support (eCDS) functions (drug alerts, reminders, guideline links, and virtual health check = VHC) and procedures: examples

Drug alerts

In the prescription procedure, the eCDS system checks against the patient medication list whether the drug selected has an interaction with other medication and, if so, displays a pop-up with an interaction alert and a suggestion of drug change.

Warfarin, in the patient’s medication list, has an interaction with the medicine chosen (ibuprofen).

Do you want to choose another medicine?

Yes

No

Reminders

Patient-specific reminders are elicited by three trigger events in the EPR: 1) opening a patient record, 2) recording a new diagnosis, and 3) prescribing new medication.

Short version: Hypertension – check blood pressure?

The short version appears automatically, and the long version is shown when the mouse cursor hovers over the reminder.

Long version: This patient has hypertension. The latest BP measurement is more than a year old. Regular follow-up has been shown to improve the control of hypertension.

Guideline links

Guideline links based on patient diagnosis-list and ICD-10 codes are shown when the user clicks the diagnosis.

Guideline links:

DG Hypertensio essentialis (primaria) I10

DG Fibrillatio atriorum I48

DG Angina pectoris I20

Virtual health check

The user can run a VHC on her/his patients in the appointment schedule by clicking on the decision support file in her/his folder. Patient-specific decision support messages appear on the screen when the user clicks on a specific link for a patient.

Name: Matti Maa (PIC^a): Control visit

Reminders

Drug interactions

Contraindications

Guidelines

Name: Anne Aamu (PIC^a): Acute visit

Reminders

Guidelines

Name: Sanni Salo (PIC^a): Diabetes control

Reminders

Guidelines