Impact of computerized information systems on workload in operating room and intensive care unit

The number of operating rooms and intensive care departments equipped with a clinical information system (CIS) is rapidly expanding. Amongst the putative advantages of such an installation, reduction in workload for the clinician is one of the most appealing. The scarce studies looking at workload variations associated with the implementation of a CIS, only focus on direct workload discarding indirect changes in workload. Descriptions of the various methods to quantify workload are provided.

The hypothesis that a third generation CIS can reduce documentation time for ICU nurses and increase time they spend on patient care, is supported by recent literature. Though it seems obvious to extrapolate these advantages of a CIS to the anesthesiology department or physicians in the intensive care, studies examining this assumption are scarce.

Keywords: anesthesia, intensive care units, software, quality assurance, health care, medical records systems, computerized clinical information systems, hospital information systems, operating room information systems, patient data management systems, intensive care information systems, medical order entry systems, workload, time and motion studies