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Study finds data-mining EMRs may pick up bad drug interactions

Category: General Health

Electronic medical records have helped make healthcare more convenient and accessible for providers, and patients are now able to enjoy a greater, more personalized level of care thanks to this technology, which in turn could reduce the time people need to spend in clinical settings.

For individuals who enjoy the autonomy of getting quality care without spending time in the hospital, doing everything from a basic lab test online to anonymous STD testing can be easy and help you have an additional layer of privacy.

EMRs also offer other benefits, and according to a recent study by the New Jersey Institute of Technology, they may be able to detect bad interactions between certain drugs.

"Medication safety requires that each drug be monitored throughout its market life as early detection of adverse drug reactions can lead to alerts that prevent patient harm," said Mei Liu, Ph.D., assistant professor at the NJIT. "Recently, electronic medical records have emerged as a valuable resource for detecting bad drug reactions."

Researchers analyzed data that was collected over a 12-year period from Vanderbilt University Medical Center on the use of retrospective medication orders and results from inpatient laboratory tests.

They were able to surmise that adverse drug reactions can be predicted from examining the chemical, biological and phenotypic properties of drugs. Through data-mining practices in EMRs, healthcare providers may be better equipped to reduce the occurrence of these emergencies.

According to the World Health Organization, the vast majority of adverse drug reactions are preventable and can occur around the world, both in developed and underdeveloped countries.