A Prescription for Efficiency: The Effect of an Ambulatory Medication Preference List Optimization

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of optimizing the ambulatory medication preference list on provider efficiency in medication ordering.

Methods

Using electronic health record (EHR) vendor data, a multidisciplinary informatics team optimized the general ambulatory medication preference list to better align with providers' ordering patterns. We conducted a pre–postintervention analysis assessing time-in-orders per encounter and number of manual changes per order.

Results

Postintervention, average manual changes per order decreased from 4.12 to 3.00 (p < 0.01), and median time spent in the orders activity per encounter decreased from 3.1 to 2.3 minutes (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Optimizing the ambulatory medication preference list reduced time spent and clicks needed by providers when ordering medications. This is relevant to ongoing efforts to address EHR-related burden.

Keywords

ambulatory care - electronic health records - medical order entry systems - quality improvement - efficiency - organizational

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects

No human and/or animal subjects were included in the project.

Publication History

Received: 28 July 2025

Accepted: 05 November 2025

Article published online:
28 November 2025

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