Electronic Medical Records Aid Reporting Of Drug Problems, Study Finds
The Wall Street Journal reports that a recent small study finds that reporting of prescription side effects increases when doctors use computerized patient records. "The study, at Massachusetts General and Brigham & Women's hospitals in Boston and sponsored by Pfizer Inc., showed a large increase in reporting of adverse events to the Food and Drug Administration once doctors used an automated tool. Over five months in 2008 and 2009, 26 doctors at the two hospitals reported 217 side effects to regulators, compared with zero reports in the same group in the previous year, according to the study, published online Monday in the medical journal Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety" (Rockoff, 10/15).This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.