Patient safety has been greatly impacted by the information technology (IT) sector's rapid improvements. This discussion post aims to explore both the positive and negative impacts of IT on patient safety. In 2021, there was a study performed by the faculty of University of Waterloo to find out the Advantages and disadvantages of the IT technologies used by healthcare in Canada. In their evaluation they found 128 issues as well as 130 positive effects to implementing ICT. The majority of these impediments were insufficient hardware and software features, lengthy ICT adoption, major workloads, a lack of trust in ICT, economic constraints, privacy and security problems, and a lack of compatibility with other technologies (Perez-Meana et al., 2021).
The improved accuracy and accessibility of patient health records is one of the advantages of information technology for patient safety. The sharing of patient data across healthcare settings is now possible because of the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) (CNA, 2017). EHRs give medical personnel access to complete patient information, such as medical history, medication information, allergy information, and test results, resulting in better decision-making and increased patient safety (eHealth Ontario, n.d.). For instance, as a nurse, I have experienced the positive impact of information technology through the use of electronic health records, which streamline patient information and improve care coordination.
On the other hand, the possibility of electronic problems and disruptions has a negative effect on patient safety. If IT systems are not correctly planned, implemented, or used, there is a danger of medication. The ability of healthcare workers to effectively access and capture patient information could be restricted by technical concerns, such as system crashes or connectivity issues, potentially risking patient safety (RNAO, 2018). For example, in my clinical practice, there was a time when medication for a patient got delayed since I couldn’t access the information due to the system crash.
To conclude, as a nurse, I have seen directly how information technology has improved patient safety. drug errors have drastically decreased because to electronic medication administration records (eMARs), However, I have also seen cases where access to vital patient data was restricted by system failures, endangering patient safety.
Question: What steps can healthcare organizations take to ensure that healthcare professionals are adequately trained and competent in utilizing IT systems to minimize the risk of errors and promote patient safety?
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Nurses and the Use of Computer Technology. (n.d.). Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. https://rnao.ca/bpg/fact-sheets/nurses-and-use-computer-technology
Perez-Meana, H., Neubauer, N., Marshall, S. L., Philip, S., Cruz, A. M., & Liu, L. (2021). Barriers and Benefits of Information Communication Technologies Used by Health Care Aides. Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(01), 270–286. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-1743238
What’s an EHR? | eHealth Ontario | It’s Working for You. (n.d.). eHealth Ontario. https://ehealthontario.on.ca/en/patients-and-families/ehrs-explained