More providers are interested in integrating their electronic medical record (EMR) with a smart infusion pump and patient safety is a big reason why, according to the latest report from the Orem, Utah-based KLAS.

The report, called Smart Pump/EMR Integration: Not Easy, Worth the Effort, reveals that more than half of the 251 providers surveyed say that EMR integration factors into future smart pump decisions. However, only a few have made it a reality. Of those who have (23), they say it has mostly impacted patient safety by reducing programming errors, increasing drug library compliance, and facilitating more timely and accurate documentation.

"Providers make it clear that they feel smart pump and EMR integration is the future of how IV medications will be administered," Coray Tate, KLAS’ report author, said in a statement. "They see integration as a big step forward in patient safety, one that will one day be the industry standard. The question on everyone's mind is, 'how far away is the future?'"

On a scale of one to nine, with nine being the highest impact, providers said the effect EMR/smart pump integration had on patient safety was an 8.4 For nursing workflow it was 7.6 and for data analytics it was 7.2

Of those in the market, Cerner (Kansas City) was the clear frontrunner. More than 75 percent of providers doing an EMR/smart pump integration are using Cerner, and 50 more are reported to have bought Cerner’s solution. Epic (Verona, Wisc.) was the only other EMR vendor who was doing it.