Electronic patient record systems had significant potential to improve people’s care and treatment, but there were cases where implementation of the new systems had resulted in direct and indirect harms to patients. Significant patient safety risks associated with the implementation and use of electronic records.
The BBC reported that out of 89 acute hospital trusts in England that responded to a freedom of information request and monitored instances when patients could be harmed, almost half had recorded instances of potential patient harm linked to electronic patient-record systems. There were 126 instances of serious harm linked to IT issues and three deaths across two trusts relating to electronic patient-record problems.
Electronic patient record systems have been shown to improve safety and care for patients, including helping detect conditions such as sepsis and preventing medication errors, but it’s essential that they are introduced and operated to high standards.
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