Patient safety and access to medication at the right time is a significant tenet of the medical field and health discipline. Concerns regarding whether patients receive the best care and treatment at all times are a major factor that contributes to enhanced outcomes of patient health and a major reason for the adoption of information technology in the medical field and environment. According to Hettinger, Hall, and Fitall (2020), Health Information Technology (HIT) has a significant potential of improving patient safety and access to exemplary health care. Technology as exhibited within the case study with the IV 'Smart' Pump can function to facilitate the minimization of human error in health care and enhance effective reporting and tracking of patient treatment and health information.
Technology also enables instant aggregation of patient treatment data and through data analytics can enable doctors to better understand the problems faced by their patients and thereby provide adequate care and treatment. ACOG (2015) further highlight that HIT helps to facilitate effective communication between health care providers especially with regards to patient information thereby helping to optimize quality patient care as well as adherence to treatment and care guidelines for ultimate patient comfort.
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However potential errors can emanate from HIT which can have serious and adverse consequences for patient health. Quinn (2016) highlights an instance where an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system prescribed an overdose of 39 pills instead of one to a patient leading to patient health complications. These kinds of implications necessitate human oversight as is evident in the case study where the nurse has to log in and acknowledge the information on patient treatment and records before the final entry.
References
ACOG. (2015). Patient Safety and Health Information Technology . Acog.org. Retrieved 26 May 2021, from www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2015/01/patient-safety-and-health-information-technology .
Hettinger, A., Hall, K., & Fitall, E. (2020). Updates in the Role of Health IT in Patient Safety . Psnet.ahrq.gov. Retrieved 26 May 2021, from www.psnet.ahrq.gov/perspective/updates-role-health-it-patient-safety .
Quinn, R. (2016). Potential Dangers of Using Technology in Healthcare . The-hospitalist.org. Retrieved 26 May 2021, from www.the-hospitalist.org/hospitalist/article/121825/potential-dangers-using-technology-healthcare .
