Journal of general internal medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of computerized guidelines for managing heart disease in primary care.
Electronic information systems have been proposed as one means to reduce medical errors of commission (doing the wrong thing) and omission (not providing indicated care). ⋯ Care suggestions generated by a sophisticated electronic medical record system failed to improve adherence to accepted practice guidelines or outcomes for patients with heart disease. Future studies must weigh the benefits and costs of different (and perhaps more Draconian) methods of affecting clinician behavior.