Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist (CHTS) Process Workflow & Information Management Redesign Practice Exam 2025 - Free CHTS Practice Questions and Study Guide

Alert fatigue occurs when clinicians are exposed to a high volume of alerts or notifications, often related to clinical decision support systems, which can lead to desensitization. This desensitization results in healthcare professionals becoming overwhelmed, causing them to overlook or ignore important alerts. Consequently, the decreased utilization of decision support tools reflects a direct consequence of alert fatigue, as clinicians may dismiss relevant alerts out of frustration or because they perceive that many alerts are not meaningful.

In contrast, adherence to clinical guidelines or improved communication does not typically result from alert fatigue. Furthermore, the idea that alerts should never be overridden is unrealistic, as in practice, clinicians need the discretion to override alerts based on specific patient circumstances or clinical judgment. Therefore, the decline in the use of decision support tools highlights how excessive alerts can undermine effective clinical practices.