What role do clinical decision support (CDS) systems play in healthcare?

Clinical decision support (CDS) systems are designed to enhance patient care by providing healthcare professionals with clinical knowledge and relevant patient data at the point of care. The primary function of CDS systems is to aid in clinical decision-making by integrating relevant information from patient records, guidelines, and medical literature. This support can take various forms, such as alerts about potential drug interactions, reminders for preventative care, or diagnostic support based on patient presentations.

By offering timely insights, CDS systems improve the ability of healthcare providers to make informed and evidence-based decisions, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes, improved safety, and enhanced quality of care. The role of CDS systems is critical in bridging the gap between complex medical knowledge and everyday clinical practice, ensuring that healthcare providers have access to the best information when making diagnoses and treatment decisions.