Technology and Health Care Improvement

Abstract

Technology in health care brings unprecedented power to prevent medical errors and advance quality care, patient safety, and clinician efficiency. Yet electronic systems and tools are complex to introduce and use safely in health care settings. This chapter provides a look at how health information technology poses both risks and benefits to patients and clinicians. This is followed by a review of components of electronic health records that can prevent harm and drive change in clinical care, such as clinical decision support. Hazards introduced by technology often trace back to poor usability, alert fatigue, and automation bias, which now garner greater focus in the emerging field of clinical informatics. It is imperative for all who interact with technology in health care settings to instill and reinforce a culture of safety in its use and to apply continuous quality improvement methods to these systems as with all aspects of health care.