How Is CPOE More Than Cookbook Medicine In The EMR?

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is quite adamant about the role of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) in ensuring the delivery of evidence-based, high-quality, and most importantly safe care to patients using EMR and health IT systems.

Between Stage 1 and Stage 2 Meaningful Use, the requirements for CPOE jump from more than 30 percent of all unique patients with at least one medication to more than 60 percent of medication, 30 percent of laboratory, and 30 percent of radiology orders created by the eligible providers during the reporting period.

Despite the increased importance of CPOE established by the EHR Incentive Programs, the use of electronic order sets and related capabilities has its detractors. “When we were starting order entry, a pediatrician colleague of mine said, ‘We couldn’t just be doing these order sets. It’s rote. How will the residents ever learn? It is cookbook medicine,’” recalls Carol Steltenkamp, CMIO at University of Kentucky HealthCare.