Computer helps pick most appropriate antibiotic drug
A computer system that helps physicians select appropriate antibiotics for hospital patients can improve medical care and reduce health care costs. The computer-assisted decision support program was tested on more than 63,500 patients who received antibiotics at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City between 1988 and 1994. The program contained all patient records along with widely accepted recommendations for the use of antibiotics. It also alerted caregivers to any drug allergies or conflicts with other medications. The results: the number of surgery patients receiving properly timed preoperative antibiotics rose from 40% to 99%; antibiotic-related adverse drug events fell 30%; overall use of antibiotics decreased 22.8%; and the inflation-adjusted cost of antibiotics per treated patient dropped from $122.66 to $51.90 (Ann Intern Med 1996).
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