Reviewing Clinical Decision Support (CDS) Alerts
Clinical Decision Support alerts use clinical data and other patient information to evaluate orders and generate an alert. CDS alerts can display during any of the following workflows:
•When entering orders from the Orders module
•When re-ordering from either of the following modules:
-Medications
-Lab Results
-Test Results
•During medication reconciliation, including:
-Continuing home medication
-Admission
-Discharge (session type alerts only)
•When entering orders while writing a note in the Clinical Notes module
Your administrator has configured CDS alerts for your facility based on rules that define the type of alert to be shown, and when to show them. The alert you see might be informational for your reference, or it might require you to take specific actions so that you can continue the workflow. A CDS rule might also prevent you from submitting an order based on criteria used by that rule.
CDS alerts display with text and buttons contained in a yellow banner at the top of the Order Details screen and/or at the top of the Orders Summary. When an alert is first displayed, the box containing the alert is fully expanded to ensure that you read it. Once you read it, you can collapse it. If you exit and return to the same screen, the alert may be presented again, in the same state that you left it (expanded or collapsed).
The following table describes each type of CDS alert and provides an example.
Alert | Description and Example |
|---|---|
Clinical data | A patient’s clinical data (lab or test results, active medications, for example) displays. Depending on configuration settings for your facility, you might see several instances of clinical data for a specific time period.  This alert displays on the Order Details screen and remains visible each time you access the Order Details screen for the order, up until you sign and submit the order. |
Message | An informational message may be displayed.  This alert displays on the Order Details screen and remains visible each time you access the Order Details screen for the order, up until you sign and submit the order. |
Message with button to add an order, or an order set | A message is displayed that includes a button to add an order or an order set. After reading the message, click the button to add the order or order set to the New Orders list.  This alert displays on the Orders Summary screen and disappears if you enter the recommended order or order set. Otherwise it remains visible for the entire order session. You may proceed with placing other orders even if you do not enter the suggested order or order set. |
Message with button to execute an order search | A message is displayed with a button that launches the Order Search window. The button in the message displays keywords that are used to generate a list of search results in the Order Search window, from which you can select a new order.  This alert displays on the Orders Summary screen and disappears if you enter the recommended order or order set. Otherwise it remains visible for the entire order session. You may proceed with placing other orders even if you do not enter the suggested order(s). |
Override reason | A warning is displayed. You must select an override reason from the list to continue with the order.  This alert displays on the Order Details screen and remains visible each time you access the Order Details screen for the order, up until you sign and submit the order. If you select an override reason, that reason is shown as selected. |
Mandatory cancel | A warning is displayed indicating that you cannot continue and you must discard the new order.  This alert displays on the Order Details screen and disappears once you discard the order. |
Why Don't I See This Feature?