Improving Patient Safety by Reducing Uncoded Allergies

When entries in providers’ Progress Notes don’t match standard abbreviations in the medication database, uncoded allergies can arise. Such uncoded allergies will not trigger drug allergy alerts, which can lead to patient safety issues. eClinicalWorks has developed a mapping tool to automatically convert uncoded allergies to coded allergies, helping providers handle them properly. In this edition of the eClinicalWorks Podcast, Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Brian Jacobs explains what uncoded allergies are, how they arise, and how the EHR is helping doctors eliminate them. From penicillin and sulfa drugs to herbal remedies, vitamins, and everything in between, eClinicalWorks is having the last word — and the last abbreviations! — in patient safety.