Prescribing safety features of general practice computer systems: evaluation using simulated test cases

Over 90% of general practices in the United Kingdom regularly use computers for clinical care.1 These computing systems contain drug interaction alerts, and these are considered useful by most general practitioners.2 Relatively little attention, however, has been paid to other potential safety features for prescribing, such as contraindication alerts. The NHS Information Authority has regulated use of general practice computer systems through a set of rules known as requirements for accreditation, but these contain only general references to safety and there is evidence that they do not prevent contraindicated prescribing.3 Reducing the risks of iatrogenic harm is an important issue for the NHS, and interest has focused on safer prescribing in primary care.4 We undertook a laboratory based evaluation of safety features for prescribing of the four main computing systems used in UK primary care.5 We used …