Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) poses a significant health challenge, particularly among the elderly population. Individuals diagnosed with COPD often experience recurrent emergency department (ED) admissions and hospitalizations due to the unpredictable nature of the condition’s symptoms (Velickovski et al., 2014). Recognizing the complexity of COPD management, the integration of information technology becomes crucial for physicians and healthcare professionals aiming to enhance patient satisfaction and outcomes (Kruse & Goetz, 2015).
A pivotal tool in this endeavor is the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS), a software designed to facilitate the clinical decision-making process. CDSS serves as a platform where patient characteristics align with a computerized knowledge base and patient-centered assessments, empowering physicians to make well-informed decisions (Velickovski et al., 2014). Unlike a trial-and-error approach, CDSS ensures that the recommendations provided by physicians are evidence-based, bridging the gap between best practices and the actual clinical care delivered to the patient.
In the context of COPD, healthcare professionals utilizing CDSS gain access to a wealth of information, including lists of potential diagnoses, alerts for drug interactions, and reminders for preventive care measures (Kruse & Goetz, 2015). This information, readily available through the technology, enables healthcare professionals to make timely and well-considered decisions. A study conducted by Velickovski et al. (2014) assessed the efficiency of CDSS in managing COPD cases, concluding that CDSS serves as a valuable and effective complement to existing integrated care policies for COPD. The technology facilitates the analysis of various factors related to COPD, such as symptoms, risks of exacerbations, severity abnormalities in spirometry tests, and the identification of co-morbidities (Harrington et al., 2014). When seamlessly integrated into the electronic health record system, CDSS becomes a vital tool in clinical decision-making processes, ensuring comprehensive and well-informed care for COPD patients.
References:
Velickovski, F., Ceccaroni, L., Roca, J., Burgos, F., Galdiz, J., Marina, N., … & Tognella, S. (2014). Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) for preventive management of COPD patients. Journal of Translational Medicine, 12(Suppl 2), S9.
Kruse, C. S., & Goetz, K. (2015). Summary and frequency of barriers to adoption of CPOE in the U.S. Journal of Medical Systems, 39(2), 15.
Harrington, J. J., Noble, B., & Hurst, J. R. (2014). Using data-driven methods to discover co-morbidities in respiratory diseases. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 14(1), 1-8.
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