FDB Adds CDS Hooks Specification to Its Targeted Medication Warnings™ Solution

Streamlined integration makes it easier for more IT developers to present trusted, patient-specific medication decision support from FDB

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FDB (First Databank, Inc.), the leading provider of drug knowledge that helps healthcare professionals make precise decisions, announced today that its FDB Targeted Medication Warnings™ solution, which is part of the FDB PatientFirst™ suite of clinical decision support (CDS) solutions, can now be integrated using CDS Hooks*. This enhancement enables healthcare IT developers to streamline the integration and seamless delivery of next-generation, patient-focused prescribing guidance offered by FDB Targeted Medication Warnings within any electronic health record (EHR) system. 

Developers can now more quickly and easily present trusted, patient-specific medication decision support with Targeted Medication Warnings during the optimal workflows within the prescriber's EHR, such as when a new medication is selected for ordering.

"FDB continues to invest in our solutions to take advantage of the latest technological innovations that help clinicians make safe, well-informed care decisions faster and easier," said Anna Dover, PharmD, BCPS, director of product management for FDB. "Adding a CDS Hooks service to our already highly configurable Targeted Medication Warnings solution allows EHR developers to easily implement next-generation medication decision support at the right moment in the clinical workflow with targeted recommendations relevant to each patient. The ability to optimize the presentation of alerts can save prescribers time, reduce alert fatigue, and ultimately result in safer, higher-quality care."

Hospitals and health systems leverage FDB Targeted Medication Warnings to optimize medication guidance based on patient-specific data (e.g., lab results and clinical risk scores) and to ensure that medication alerts and other guidance are presented to clinicians only when pertinent to individual patients in their current clinical scenarios. Smarter, context aware guidance like this helps to improve medication decision-making while lessening the burden of over-alerting and data searching that clinicians face.

CDS Hooks is a Health Level Seven International® (HL7®) specification that allows for enhanced integration of clinical software applications within an EHR system. The service is compatible with the SMART on FHIR (Substitutable Medical Applications, Reusable Technologies on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standard protocol for data exchange. Developers can activate Targeted Medication Warnings using CDS Hooks through an application programming interface (API) to minimize development time and speed time to market. 

"Optimized medication safety alerts, made possible by FDB Targeted Medication Warnings, represent a significant progression in CDS capabilities at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and many other healthcare institutions,' said Donald Levick, MD, MBA, consultant and former Chief Medical Information Officer at LVHN in Pennsylvania. "Advantages include more efficient medication guidance, improvements in alert acceptance and override rates, and greater clinician satisfaction. With CDS Hooks, organizations without the necessary interface infrastructure can now deploy Targeted Medication Warnings and reap these benefits. Straightforward integration via CDS Hooks should provide a compelling motivation for healthcare organizations to adopt this cutting-edge technology, thereby elevating the care process for all involved parties."

The addition of CDS Hooks service to FDB Targeted Medication Warnings supports the patient-specific decision support requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act, which was designed to advance interoperability and facilitate the seamless exchange of healthcare information. By aligning with the Cures Act's emphasis on accessibility and exchange of electronic health information, this enhancement ensures that FDB's solutions contribute to an integrated healthcare environment. The use of standardized APIs and adherence to the SMART on FHIR protocol further underscore FDB's commitment to the Cures Act's aim for greater data interoperability in healthcare IT.

This strategic move by FDB, along with the robust security measures it has in place to help protect patient data, enhances the capability of health IT systems to meet current regulatory expectations, while significantly augmenting the efficiency, safety, and quality of patient care through advanced medication decision support.

About FDB
FDB (First Databank) creates and delivers the world's most powerful drug knowledge that ignites, inspires, and illuminates critical medication decisions. We collaborate with our partners to help improve patient safety, operational efficiency, and health outcomes. Our drug databases drive healthcare information systems that serve the majority of hospitals, physician practices, pharmacies, payers, and all other areas of healthcare and are used by millions of clinicians, business associates, and patients every day. Please visit us at fdbhealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Hearst Health
The mission of Hearst Health is to help guide the most important care moments by delivering vital information into the hands of everyone who touches a person's health journey. Care guidance from Hearst Health reaches the majority of people in the U.S. The Hearst Health network includes FDB (First Databank), Zynx Health, MCG, Homecare Homebase and MHK. Hearst also holds a minority interest in the precision medicine and oncology analytics company Aster Insights. Follow Hearst Health on LinkedIn @Hearst-Health.

Media Contact 
Tara Stultz
Amendola Communications for FDB
M: 440-225-9595
[email protected]

*The Children's Medical Center Corporation and its affiliates and partners in no way endorse, certify, or guarantee the quality of FDB Targeted Medication Warnings or FDB or its products.

SOURCE FDB (First Databank)