Medical decision making : an international journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making
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American health care is transitioning to electronic physician ordering. These computerized systems are unique because they allow custom order interfaces. Although these systems provide great benefits, there are also potential pitfalls, as the behavioral sciences have shown that the very format of electronic interfaces can influence decision making. The current research specifically examines how defaults in electronic order templates affect physicians' treatment decisions and medical errors. ⋯ The defaults used in electronic order sets influence medical treatment decisions when the consequences to a patient's health are low. This pattern suggests that physicians cognitively override incorrect default choices but only to a point, and it implies tradeoffs that maximize accuracy and minimize cognitive effort. Results indicate that defaults for low-impact items on electronic templates warrant careful attention because physicians are unlikely to override them.