| Outside of welcoming new life into the world, | | | | can prove dangerous to the patient's future care |
| entering a hospital can be an extremely dreadful | | | | and potential survivial. Implementing a powerful |
| experience. Whether you are visiting a son who | | | | HIS and developing a standardized protocol with |
| broke his arm, awaiting a scheduled surgery, or | | | | regards to its use can easily alleviate these errors |
| mourning the loss of a loved one to cancer, the | | | | and corporate hardships. |
| hospital may conjure up feelings of worry, | | | | 2. Clinical Decision Support: |
| uncertainty, and fear. While hospitals are not | | | | An underutilized resource that can greatly reduce |
| intrinsically responsible for the creation of all | | | | medical errors within a hospital setting is a clinical |
| medical distress, they often times symbolize that | | | | decision support system (CDSS). These programs |
| which we fear most - the loss of health or life - | | | | are designed to assist physicians and other health |
| ours or a loved one. And, while often times the | | | | care professionals by instantaneously reviewing |
| hospital is a place where one can re-gain health or | | | | the doctor's course of action and determining if |
| have a life saved,the sad truth is that an | | | | there are any significant issues with regards to |
| alarmingly high percentage of those questions | | | | drug interactions or diagnostic imperfections. Other |
| involving a hospital's integrity, and potential for | | | | approaches include treatment order sets such as |
| error, are warranted. Error does exist in hospitals | | | | Zynx ( The health care professional inputs |
| and the damage can be extensive when it does | | | | information into the system; the program helps |
| occur. Therefore hospitals and medical centers | | | | reduce the scope of potential error by matching |
| must elevate their expectations for staff and | | | | evidence to the proposed treatment path and |
| focus on administrative procedures that ensure | | | | ruling out irrelevant or erroneous options. It |
| the care given to patients is not detrimental to | | | | remains the physician's prerogative as to proper |
| their safety and well-being. | | | | course of action. |
| Hospitals are complex organizations that require | | | | 3. Virtual/Web-based Medical Simulation |
| structure and well-defined policies and procedures. | | | | Technology: |
| Hundreds, if not thousands, of patients and family | | | | According to a 1995, Studies at Massachusetts |
| members attend these facilities daily; ranging from | | | | General and Brigham and Women's Hospitals,, |
| those experiencing extremely dangerous, | | | | 44% of all hospital1 related medical errors are due |
| life-threatening symptoms to those dealing with | | | | to a knowledge or skill deficit. This crisis calls for |
| relatively minor irritations. Nonetheless, the hospital | | | | the need to find risk-free training methods that |
| is required to keep a thorough record of each | | | | educate today's medical professional. Technology, |
| patient, diagnosing and treating their illness, and is | | | | no matter how sophisticated cannot replace a |
| responsible for relaying medical information | | | | competent, knowledgeable, well trained physician. |
| properly to those involved in the patient's care. | | | | A knowledge deficit can be addressed through |
| There are many areas where human errors can | | | | book-learning and lecture but a knowledge and skill |
| and do occur. Lets look at the three most | | | | deficit is better addressed through simulation. |
| prominent tools available to medical professionals, | | | | People learn best by doing. Mannequin-based and |
| that when implemented and used properly, can | | | | newer web-based, simulators such as [ provide a |
| eliminate some of these costly mistakes. | | | | simple and easy to impliment simulation training |
| 1. Health Information System (HIS): | | | | solution for teaching hospitals and medical schools. |
| A primary source of medical errors in the hospital | | | | When utilized properly, doctors are more |
| setting is the improper use of and/or confusing | | | | confident, more prepared, and better equipped to |
| Health Information Systems (i.e. computerized | | | | adequately diagnose and effectively treat their |
| patient order & data entry programs). These | | | | patients. At the end of the day, nothing replaces |
| extremely important systems allow the hospital | | | | a knowledgeable and well-trained physician. |
| to keep track of each client, prescription drug | | | | While there are many resources available to |
| recommendations, clinical information, diagnosis(es), | | | | hospitals and medical professionals today, the |
| etc. The potential for error utilizing such systems | | | | three tools showcased here are key components |
| are tremendous. Typically those who input data | | | | to significantly reducing medical errors - creating |
| into the computer do not come into contact with | | | | an inviting and stress-free environment for |
| the patient. If not identified, errors such as; typos, | | | | patients. |
| misinterpretation of terminology, or missed Ques | | | | |