Observational studyBMC medical informatics and decision making2025
Auto-expansion software prompting reduces abbreviation use in electronic hospital discharge letters: an observational pre- and post-intervention study.
Observational study in BMC medical informatics and decision making, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundAbbreviation use remains a significant cause of miscommunication among healthcare practitioners worldwide, creating uncertainty in interpretation and leading to poorer patient outcomes. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of implementing auto-expansion prompts to reduce abbreviation use in electronic discharge letters (eDLs).
methodsObservational pre- and post-intervention study conducted in 2019 at a tertiary referral hospital in Western Sydney.
participantsJunior medical officers (JMOs) in postgraduate years 1 and 2.
interventionThe intervention consisted of an email invitation to JMOs, outlining the risks of abbreviation use in eDLs, and providing instructions on how to use auto-expand prompts for 11 commonly used abbreviations in Cerner Powerchart. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Reduction in the frequency of use of 11 commonly used abbreviations selected for auto-expansion, measured by a 200 eDL audit pre- and post-intervention. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Reduction in the total number of abbreviations used and the mean number of abbreviations per eDL in the post-intervention audit compared to pre-intervention.
resultsThe baseline audit identified 1668 abbreviation uses in 200 eDLs, consisting of 350 different abbreviations. In the post-intervention audit, use of the 11 auto-expand abbreviations decreased by 43.6%, with decreased frequency of use for 9 of the 11 abbreviations. Post-intervention there was a 34.4% reduction in the total number of abbreviations used, with 1093 abbreviations identified in 200 eDLs.
conclusionsAdvising JMOs to implement auto-expansion prompts for specific abbreviations, in combination with education on the risks of abbreviation use, is a cheap and effective solution to reducing abbreviation use in eDLs. This approach could significantly improve clarity of communication between hospital doctors and community healthcare professionals during patient care transition, potentially reducing medical errors.
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