A common language for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research studies: GWI common data elements.

Aims: The Gulf War Illness programs (GWI) of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program collaborated with experts to develop Common Data Elements (CDEs) to standardize and systematically collect, analyze, and share data across the (GWI) research community.

Main Methods: A collective working group of GWI advocates, Veterans, clinicians, and researchers convened to provide consensus on instruments, case report forms, and guidelines for GWI research. A similar initiative, supported by the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) was completed for a comparative illness, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), and provided the foundation for this undertaking.

Diffusion, implementation, and use of Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) in the Veterans Health Administration (VA).

This case study describes the implementation of the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) software at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration (VA). VA REDCap enables secure and standardized data collection, fosters collaboration with external researchers through use of a widely used data management tool, facilitates multisite studies through use of data forms that can be shared across sites within and outside the VA, is well suited to health services research studies and quality improvement projects, and enables exporting data for analysis in the VA secure computing environment. Using a diffusion of innovation framework approach, authors explore organizational factors that shaped adoption of REDCap technology and constraints on its use within the VA.

Medication Safety in Two Intensive Care Units of a Community Teaching Hospital After Electronic Health Record Implementation: Sociotechnical and Human Factors Engineering Considerations.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementation on medication safety in two intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: Using a prospective pre-post design, we assessed 1254 consecutive admissions to two ICUs before and after an EHR implementation. Each medication event was evaluated with regard to medication error (error type, medication-management stage) and impact on patient (severity of potential or actual harm).

Characterising the complexity of medication safety using a human factors approach: an observational study in two intensive care units.

Objective: To examine medication safety in two intensive care units (ICU), and to assess the complexity of medication errors and adverse drug events (ADE) in ICUs across the stages of the medication-management process.

Methods: Four trained nurse data collectors gathered data on medication errors and ADEs between October 2006 and March 2007. Patient care documents (eg, medication order sheets, notes) and incident reports were used to identify medication errors and ADEs in a 24-bed adult medical/surgical ICU and an 18-bed cardiac ICU in a tertiary care, community teaching hospital.

Voluntary reporting of health care personnel seasonal influenza vaccination rates and the impact of universal policies in Illinois hospitals.

Objective: In 2009, voluntary public reporting of hospital health care personnel (HCP) vaccination rates began in Illinois. We describe our experience over 3 influenza seasons and examine the impact universal policies have had on performance.

Methods: A secure website was used to report monthly HCP vaccination rates by each participating hospital.

Conducting an efficient proactive risk assessment prior to CPOE implementation in an intensive care unit.

Purpose: To develop, conduct, and evaluate a proactive risk assessment (PRA) of the design and implementation of CPOE in an ICU.

Methods: We developed a PRA method based on issues identified from documented experience with conventional PRA methods and the constraints of an organization about to implement CPOE in an intensive care unit. The PRA method consists of three phases: planning (three months), team (one five-hour meeting), and evaluation (short- and long-term).