VP Encourages the Institute of Medicine To Adopt Tools to Improve Patient Safety Standards
The adoption of automated information systems can minimize human errors in healthcare delivery, Penfield says.
McLean, VA, December 5, 2002 — "The use of information technology has greatly improved safety in highly regulated industries like nuclear power and aviation, but it has had less impact in healthcare — the one industry that most intimately touches our lives," according to Booz Allen Hamilton Vice President Susan Penfield.
Penfield testified on November 25, 2002, before the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at a public hearing concerning patient safety data standards. The hearing was the third in a series of public meetings in which data reporting of medical errors to increase patient safety is being discussed.
At issue is whether information technology can be used to help identify and set clinical standards to be followed by physicians and other medical care providers to improve safety for patients in their care. Penfield believes that it can.
"It has already been proven that to a large degree, technology can assist in the elimination of medication errors." She cites the use of electronic prescription labeling, automatic dosage calculations, and bar-coding of patient identifying information among them. "Unfortunately, not all aspects of medical errors are as straightforward as medication errors. More remains to be done."
Penfield appeared before the IOM panel to encourage adoption of the intelligent use of automated information systems to minimize human errors in healthcare delivery. Penfield said that development and implementation of such a system is "imperative" if patient safety is to be improved.
She likened the need for a patient safety data system to a similar challenge faced by the Food and Drug Administration on reporting reactions to pharmaceutical drugs introduced worldwide. Booz Allen Hamilton developed an adverse event reporting system for the FDA that maximizes the availability of adverse event information to healthcare oversight bodies around the world. "Because of our work, FDA is able to immediately detect serious adverse events (such as physical reactions to prescription drugs) and take action to ensure that the public health is protected."
Error reporting and analysis will require not only new technological systems but also a cultural change in the adoption of new reporting standards. Barriers to adoption of a new system, including caregiver resistance, consensus development on reporting guidelines, and the costs of implementation and training, could be offset by a compelling business case. A rewarding environment to healthcare providers would provide the necessary incentives to adopt new standards while simultaneously improving patient care.
Penfield acknowledged that physicians will still be the most crucial element in patient diagnosis, treatment, and safety, but says a physician error reporting system will become "a tool to help them rather than an attempt to encroach on their territory or question their judgment." The result, she says, will benefit not only patients but the healthcare provider community as well.
"As a leader in strategy and technology consulting, Booz Allen supports the intelligent use of automated information systems to minimize the human error in healthcare delivery," Penfield told the panel.
Additional Information:
Other Related Site Pages...
