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Table 2 Effective behaviour change techniques to reduce prescribing errors in HIT

From: The impact of health information technology on prescribing errors in hospitals: a systematic review and behaviour change technique analysis

BCT cluster BCT label Key behaviour ER (% effect. ratio)
1. Goals and planning 1.3 Goal setting (outcome) Ensure prescriber or clinical involvement in HIT configuration and design; in clinical parameter setting for dosing support and other clinical decision support; in drug library design 1 (100)
  1.7 Review outcome goal(s) Review and modify HIT in response to prescriber feedback 1 (100)
2. Feedback and monitoring 2.1 Monitoring of behaviour by others without feedback Observe and record prescriber workflow and behaviour with their knowledge but without providing feedback, in order to adapt system and in turn modify prescriber behaviour (e.g. drop-down menus that are contributing to selection errors may be modified after prescriber observation) 1 (100)
  2.5 Monitoring of outcome(s) of behaviour without feedback Monitor electronic prescriptions or orders generated by prescribers without providing feedback in order to prevent or detect errors (not for the purpose of study data collection) 1 (100)
3. Social support 3.2 Social support (practical) Ensure clinical colleagues (e.g. ‘super-users’) or IT phone support available to give practical system support to prescribers and to answer questions 1 (100)
9. Comparison of outcomes 9.1 Credible source Deliver prescriber training, or information on the consequences of medication errors by a credible source such as an informatics pharmacist or other clinical healthcare professional 1 (100)
4. Shaping knowledge 4.1 Instruction on how to perform a behaviour Provide training sessions on how to use the system and prescribe a drug correctly; may be classroom or workbook-based 0.91 (91)
5. Natural consequences 5.1 Information on health consequences Alert the prescriber about the consequences of placing a specific medication order (e.g. patient allergy, drug-drug interaction, therapeutic duplication, contraindication) through system alerts or warnings; verbal or written information on medication errors may also be provided 0.86 (86)
7. Associations 7.1 Prompts/cues Provide visual on-screen alerts or pop-ups to prompt prescribers to change or adjust potentially erroneous or unsafe medication orders 0.86 (86)
8. Repetition and substitution 8.1 Behavioural practice/rehearsal Provide classroom or individual training sessions for prescribers to work through order examples, workbooks, online modules, or system demos 0.80 (80)