CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM: REACTION

Health plus information technology is Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS). The development of CDSS
during the 1970’s proved that the aforementioned fields can be integrated. Through the years, CDSS
development posted successes and risks on their value. On the other hand, its use continued to prosper.

Despite the professional or expert status of health care professionals, there are isolated cases of
“innocent” mistakes in the care of a patient - there are misdiagnosed cases, miscomputed medications,
and wrong interventions. Still, these are unacceptable in the standards of the profession.

The development and rise of the use of CDSS resulted to more accurate assessment of the problem,
diagnosis of the patient, analysis of the treatment regimen, treatment, and to add, better decision-
making. CDSS as stated above is the collaborative effort of health science and information technology.
CDSS is technologically-aided evidenced-based decisions.

Technology still came from science, a body of knowledge. So as CDSS, it is founded by evidence-based
practices and clinical practice guidelines which in the long run were upgraded to become more highly-
technological.

The system is programmed in the patient’s electronic health record (HER) and also to the facilities’
workflow or algorithm, whatever departments/areas the case needs to undergo to.

The system automatically through accurate assessment – personal and technological - detects
abnormalities and shows what is to be done next possibly – predictions of other problems, diagnostic
procedures, complications to treatment and even nursing care plans and nursing patient managements.

Knowing that it is a form of technology, it is important to note that there should still be the human
connection between the physician and the patient- communication, compassion, therapeutic touch and
genuine concern.

CDSS does not take the patient out of the treatment equation. As ethics would say, doctors explain the
nature of the disease, possible treatment regimens and its alternatives – it is still the patient who
decides (unless he is incapable). It makes patients empowered still by making informed decisions.

Despite some of the noted drawbacks of CDSS years before, through the aid of it, physicians are
practicing legally and make them free from unethical and substandard or illegal services.

CDSS thru patient’s documented and stored EHR in the data base - makes the system easy to be
accessed, maintained and updated. This can be of big help in research field too. The data and patient’s
journey throughout the regimen can be used as a basis of improvement to attain better quality care.

CDSS promotes collaboration: physician-nurse, physician-patient, and hospital-other organizations. Not

to mention, it started with the collaboration of health care professionals and information technology
experts. Though the systems are tedious, it is made simple to be used by the front liners.
CDSS as a technology has its advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include: (a) facilitated
workflow, (b) immediate patient feedback, (c) consistent care and (d) research-directed. Some noted
disadvantages are: (a) costly, (b) can lead to over-reliance to systems (c) less human interaction, (d)
“digital immigrants”.

As manifested by Western and (some) Middle Eastern health care professionals, CDSS is really beneficial
in the health care or clinical setting. I hope someday, most if not all of the health care facilities will adopt
and adapt the use of CDSS here in the Philippines. Despite of its cons, the benefits outweigh the risks.

CDSS makes the physicians’ and patients’ lives easier and safe. With this development, safety and
efficiency are emphasized and this leads to quality care services.

CDSS is built for how many years – many clinical trials, clinical practice guidelines, SLDC’s programmed-
tested-implemented-then-upgraded. It is understood that all data entered on the system/program
should be accurate so that the algorithms developed are accurate as well.

Technology is an evolution that encompasses every field or sectors in our lives. CDSS is still founded on
human brain’s knowledge and heart’s compassion.

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