Listen I'll be thrilled if I'm wrong, but the article says they 'expect to save' $xxxx.xx. Not that they are saving that much. Come back to me when they actually have reduced average length of stay for pneumonia patients by two days over a long time period. Just because they can find a most efficient pathway for patients, doesn't mean it will be followed, or that it is even possible to be followed clinically.
My hospital currently uses Allscripts, we have care pathways, and when I want to order something for a patient of mine (because I think the patient needs it) that isn't in the care pathway, I just order it. It seems that what they are trying to do is 'Nudge', in the Thaler sense, providers to do what they suggest is the most efficient pathway. Would love to see a randomized trial of giving some providers this nudge and others the current pathway to see which is most effective. But what I often see is that providers have learned behaviors from years of training where they 'need' tests X, Y, and Z for disease Q, so without extensive education, they still tend to order those things.
edit: just saw that ballenf beat me to this punchline already.
My hospital currently uses Allscripts, we have care pathways, and when I want to order something for a patient of mine (because I think the patient needs it) that isn't in the care pathway, I just order it. It seems that what they are trying to do is 'Nudge', in the Thaler sense, providers to do what they suggest is the most efficient pathway. Would love to see a randomized trial of giving some providers this nudge and others the current pathway to see which is most effective. But what I often see is that providers have learned behaviors from years of training where they 'need' tests X, Y, and Z for disease Q, so without extensive education, they still tend to order those things.
edit: just saw that ballenf beat me to this punchline already.