Physicians typically expect perfection from themselves and others, including the tools they use in their practice. On the other hand, software developers generally assume that their products may be "buggy" or imperfect at first, requiring numerous versions before errors are remedied. 17 As healthcare processes become increasingly digitized, decreasing the opportunity for physician resistance and dissatisfaction is paramount. Managed care plans, quality control, research, and patient safety will increasingly be dependent on computerized patient care records and order processes. CPOE can improve outcomes of care by generating legible orders requiring less clarification and by eliminating needless transcription and searching for patient charts. CPOE with clinical decision support can improve patient outcomes by decreasing medication errors and adverse drug events through the incorporation of clinical standards and guidelines. To assure success across the continuum of healthcare services, including order entry, physicians must be involved in the control of change. Organizations that position themselves to intimately and thoroughly involve, then support, physicians through the change to CPOE best position themselves for success. Recognition of the impact on physician workflow enables a giant leap toward acceptance that cannot be overlooked. Nurses understand physician workflow and can be instrumental in helping physicians see the value and returns offered by CPOE. It is clear that one size does NOT fit all, and that systems and processes must be tailored to the specific institutions and users. The 5 strategies proposed, however, offer a path toward assuring successful implementation of CPOE in any organization. ©2006, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
