Report links electronic systems with patient safety
Monday September 10, 2007 -- Jason Thompson
A report released this week concluded that while there is momentum to continue the development of a national electronic health record (EHR), additional investment is required to realize its full potential and maximize the patient safety benefits.
Published by Canada Health Infoway and the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), the report entitled Electronic Health Records and Patient Safety: Future Directions for Canada was crafted from expert discussion at a two-day conference earlier this year in Toronto.
According to the report, those in attendance discussed strategies for stakeholder engagement, developing a supportive policy environment and future investment in research and system development.
The report also states that one of the major drivers leading the investment in a pan-Canadian EHR is patient safety. It goes on to say that not enough of the benefits an EHR would have on patient safety have been demonstrated in comparison to the number of challenges that exist.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in the number of EHR initiatives that are delivering enhanced patient care . . . while this growth is encouraging, momentum must be maintained so we can capitalize on the efficiencies generated through electronic health initiatives as our population continues to age and grow,” said Canada Health Infoway president and CEO Richard Alvarez in the report.
Canada Health Infoway and CPSI have also stated that the resounding message they gathered from the Toronto conference and the resulting report is there is more work to be done to reap the patient safety benefits of having an EHR.
“Productivity in the healthcare system cannot increase without patient safety first being assured,” CPSI CEO Phil Hassen said in the report. “A key benefit of establishing an EHR system is a corresponding increase in patient safety.”
In the end, priority issues identified through the conference include reducing medication errors, made largely as a result of using paper-based systems, and improving the flow of information across the continuum of care.
Hassen points to a number of CPSI initiatives that are already making some progress in these areas, one of which is the Safer Healthcare Now (SHN) Campaign.
“An EHR system would make this task easier by offering access to records and information,” Hassen said.
To read the full report, click here.
