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Computerized Prescription Systems Introduce New Errors

NPR | By Patti Neighmond

Published March 8, 2005 at 12:00 AM EST

Hospitals have been installing computerized prescription systems to help eliminate human error. But a study in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association finds these programs are actually causing new kinds of medical mistakes.

Corrected: March 24, 2005 at 8:04 PM EST

Sociologist Ross Koppel of the University of Pennsylvania is misidentified as "Robert" in this segment.

Patti Neighmond

Award-winning journalist Patti Neighmond is NPR's health policy correspondent. Her reports air regularly on NPR newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition.

See stories by Patti Neighmond

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