Clinical decision support technology: saving lives

Peter Bonis explains the role of clinical decision support technology in delivering cost savings, while improving patient safety. He provides an insight into how technology can reduce medication errors, optimise therapy and improve clinical effectiveness.

If you ask any doctor about the biggest challenges facing them today, they are likely to say they are under constant pressure to do more, with less time and fewer resources. They need help. Technology is coming to their aid in many different ways, making the health tech industry a hotbed of growth and innovation. One area that answers many of these key challenges faced by clinicians is decision support technology – also known as Clinical Decision Support (CDS). 

Broadly speaking, CDS is workflow technology, allowing clinicians to support their decisions with evidence-based information regarding diagnoses, treatment recommendations, or drug prescriptions. It allows the clinician to quickly access accurate and authoritative information exactly when they need it most – at the point of care – and in the most convenient way.