How can information technology be used to enhance patient safety? Use at least one specific example.

 

Improving Patient’s Safety with Information Technology

Patients are usually at risk of harm or other medical errors when receiving medical care in health facilities. According to WHO (2019), the rise of patient harm in medical institutions and the evolution of complex health care systems led to the rise of the Patient Safety discipline that aimed to reduce these risks and harm to patients while receiving medical care.

Information Technology is instrumental in the health care sector with benefits like easily accessible and secure electronic health records and automating frequently repeated processes. Additionally, Information Technology can be used to improve the safety of patients in the healthcare system in various ways (Alotaibi & Federico, 2017). Firstly, Information Technology provides the sector with robust technological tools that enhance medication legibility, reducing risks associated with medication errors. For example, doctors and pharmacists can create a personalized patient-centered medication program rather than an infection medication program using a technological manager software known as Cerner Pharmnet. This software improves the safety of patients by ensuring the medications prescribed are suitable to the patient and are properly streamlined.

Secondly, Information Technology improves the safety of the patient by alerting medical personnel like nurses and doctors in case of equipment failure or emergency occurrences when the patient is receiving medical care. For example, patients in critical conditions in the intensive care unit have ICD( implantable cardiac defibrillator) connected in their bodies. This device sends a signal to medical personnel in the facility whenever there are abnormal cardiac activities that may be internally or externally caused. Additionally, when an arrhythmia occurs, the device sends an automated small shock to the heart to normalize the heart rhythm.