General practitioners' use of computers for prescribing and electronic health records: results from a national survey.

摘要: Objective: To describe how general practitioners use computers for clinical purposes. Design: Mail survey of a cross-sectional national stratified random sample 3000 GPs in primary care settings between 10 October and 31 December 2005. Main outcome measures: Use computers, computerised functions such as prescribing, medication checking, generating health summaries, running recall systems, writing progress notes. Results: Of 1186 responding (39.5% response rate), 90% used software package. packages prescribing (98%), checking drug–drug interactions (88%), recording reason (65%), to order laboratory tests (85%), run systems (78%), record notes (64%). Less frequently included lists patients needing vaccines (43%) taking the same (39%). than 20% who package accessed information during consultation. Conclusions: Australian practice has achieved near-universal computerisation. Electronic alone probably improved efficiency quality care, reduced errors. Increasing other functions, accessing online decision support maintaining registries patients, is likely