Without requiring even one extra mouse click, a randomized clinical trial at the Perelman School of Medicine doubled the rate of hepatitis C screenings among the patients for whom they’re recommended. The study simply made the screening a default order for patients who met guidelines at two different hospitals, and compared it to a system that required doctors—through extra steps—to proactively agree to make an order. When made the default, screenings jumped from 42% to roughly 80%, according to the study, published in JAMA Network Open.
“We expected there to be an increase in ordering, but not to this magnitude, since we were comparing the default order to a pop-up alert that already existed in the electronic health record,” says Shivan Mehta, associate chief innovation officer at Penn Medicine and an assistant professor of gastroenterology. “The default order reduced effort by the clinicians by aligning the preferred choice with existing workflows while also reducing the number of clicks.”
Hepatitis C is a virus that attacks the body’s liver and causes it to become inflamed. It is a leading cause in the United States of cirrhosis, cancer, and the need for liver transplants. Screening is recommended because “many patients may be infected but not aware,” Mehta says, and antiviral treatments can lead to a sustained response by the body against the disease in more than 95% of patients.
Despite recommendations, screening rates remain low. In an effort to nudge physicians toward ordering the screening for more patients, Mehta and his co-researchers sought out to make the process easier–meaning fewer clicks and less cognitive load.
This story is by Frank Otto. Read more at Penn Medicine News.
