Accuracy of documented administration times for intravenous antimicrobial drugs and impact on dosing decisions.

Aims: Accurate documentation of medication administration time is imperative for many therapeutic decisions, including dosing of intravenous antimicrobials. The objectives were to determine (1) the discrepancy between actual and documented administration times for antimicrobial infusions and (2) whether day of the week, time of day, nurse-to-patient ratio and drug impacted accuracy of documented administration times.

Methods: Patient and dosing data were collected (June-August 2019) for 55 in-patients receiving antimicrobial infusions.

Do user preferences align with human factors assessment scores of drug-drug interaction alerts?

This study aimed to assess drug-drug interaction alert interfaces and to examine the relationship between compliance with human factors principles and user-preferences of alerts. Three reviewers independently evaluated drug-drug interaction alert interfaces in seven electronic systems using the Instrument-for-Evaluating-Human-Factors-Principles-in-Medication-Related-Decision-Support-Alerts (I-MeDeSA). Fifty-three doctors and pharmacists completed a survey to rate the alert interfaces from best to worst and reported on liked and disliked features.

Redesign of computerized decision support to improve antimicrobial prescribing. A controlled before-and-after study.

Objective: To determine the impact of the introduction of new pre-written orders for antimicrobials in a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system on 1) accuracy of documented indications for antimicrobials in the CPOE system, 2) appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing, and 3) compliance with the hospital's antimicrobial policy. Prescriber opinions of the new decision support were also explored to determine why the redesign was effective or ineffective in altering prescribing practices.

Methods: The study comprised two parts: a controlled pre-post study and qualitative interviews.

Feedback and Training to Improve Use of an Electronic Prescribing System: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Excessive presentation of alerts in electronic prescribing systems (ePS) results in 'alert fatigue' which reduces alert effectiveness and frustrates users. Previous research at our study site showed high rates of duplication alerts, some of which were the result of doctors not using available short-cut functions in the ePS. This study aimed to improve uptake of short-cut functions and so reduce alert fatigue by trialing two interventions: feedback and training.

Dental public health in India: An insight.

Oral diseases are a major public health problem, and their burden is on increase in many low- and middle-income countries. Dental public health (DPH) aims to improve the oral health of the population through preventive and curative services. However, its achievements in India are being questioned probably because of lack of proficiency and skill among DPH personnel.

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older hospital in-patients: Prevalence, contribution to hospital admission and documentation of rationale for continuation.

Aim: To establish prevalence, sequelae and documentation of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in older hospital in-patients.

Methods: Notes of all patients ≥65 years old, admitted to our tertiary teaching hospital (January 2013), were retrospectively reviewed, and the Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate Prescriptions applied.

Results: Amongst 534 patients, 54.