Clinical information technologies and inpatient outcomes

Hospitals with automated notes and records, order entry, and clinical decision support had fewer complications, lower mortality rates, and lower costs, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of urban hospitals in Texas using the Clinical Information Technology Assessment Tool, which measures a hospital's level of automation based on physician interactions with the information system. After adjustment for potential confounders, they examined whether greater automation of hospital information was associated with reduced rates of inpatient mortality, complications, costs, and length of stay.