Improving thiamine prescribing at an academic hospital network using the computerized provider order entry system: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Oral thiamine therapy is frequently prescribed to patients at risk for thiamine deficiency despite recommendations emphasizing the need for high doses of parenteral thiamine to reverse brain thiamine deficits. We evaluated the effect of changes to the computerized provider order entry system on the proportion of prescriptions for parenteral thiamine treatment (primary outcome) and dosages prescribed (secondary outcome) within our academic hospital network. METHODS: We obtained data from the pharmacy information system recording thiamine prescribed to inpatients at University Health Network hospitals (Toronto, Ontario) before (Jan. 1, 2010, to Dec. 31, 2011) and after (Nov. 21, 2013, to Apr. 30, 2017) changes to the computerized provider order entry system promoting the use of higher dosages (≥ 200 mg) of parenterally administered thiamine. Patients receiving thiamine as part of total parenteral nutrition were excluded from analyses, as thiamine prescribing was automated and unlikely to be affected by the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 6105 thiamine prescriptions were written for 2907 patients before the intervention and 12 787 thiamine prescriptions for 8032 patients after the intervention. The proportion of prescriptions for parenteral treatment increased from 55.5% (3386/6105) to 92.5% (11 829/12 787) after the intervention (p < 0.001). Increases in prescribing of parenteral thiamine treatment were sustained or enhanced across the 3.4-year observation period and were realized across all hospital services. Prescriptions for higher dosages of thiamine increased from 1.1% (65/6105) to 61.4% (7845/12 787) after the intervention (p < 0.001). INTERPRETATION: Changes to the computerized provider order entry system were associated with sustained increases in the proportion of prescriptions for high-dose parenteral thiamine therapy. Similar approaches may be leveraged to align prescriber behaviour with well-accepted practice parameters in other areas of medicine.

Thiamine prescribing practices within university-affiliated hospitals: a multicenter retrospective review.

BACKGROUND: Patients with suspected thiamine deficiency should receive treatment with parenteral thiamine to achieve the high serum thiamine levels necessary to reverse the effects of deficiency and to circumvent problems with absorption common in the medically ill. OBJECTIVE: To quantify rates of parenteral administration of thiamine across university-affiliated hospitals and to identify factors associated with higher rates of parenteral prescribing. DESIGN: Multicenter, retrospective observational study of thiamine prescriptions. METHODS: Prescriptions for thiamine were captured from computerized pharmacy information systems across participating centers, providing information concerning dose, route, frequency, and duration of thiamine prescribed from January 2010 to December 2011. SETTING: Fourteen university-affiliated tertiary care hospitals geographically distributed across Canada, including 48,806 prescriptions for thiamine provided to 32,213 hospitalized patients. RESULTS: Parenteral thiamine accounted for a statistically significant majority of thiamine prescriptions (57.6%, P < 0.001); however, oral thiamine constituted a significant majority of the total doses prescribed (68.4%, z = 168.9; P < 0.001). Protocols prioritizing parenteral administration were associated with higher rates of parenteral prescribing (61.3% with protocol, 45.8% without protocol; P < 0.001). Patients admitted under psychiatry services were significantly more likely to be prescribed oral thiamine (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although parenteral thiamine accounted for a statistically significant majority of prescriptions, oral thiamine was commonly prescribed within academic hospitals. Additional strategies are needed to promote parenteral thiamine prescribing to patients with suspected thiamine deficiency.