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Preventing Errors for Healthcare Professionals: Summary
To improve patient safety, healthcare systems are implementing various technological solutions and standardized protocols. LEARNING TIP! Computerized adverse drug event (ADE) monitoring systems use
proficiency (requiring medical interpreters), and those with low health literacy. Healthcare providers must be particularly vigilant when treating these populations, implementing additional safeguards and communication strategies to ensure safe and effective care delivery. CONCLUSION Protecting patients is the responsibility of all healthcare professionals. Leaders of healthcare organizations have made concerted progress toward attaining an environment that embraces teamwork, engagement of patients in their care, and standardization of practices. However, patients continue to suffer the harmful consequences of medical errors. All members of the healthcare team share joint responsibility for ensuring safe care of patients through the care continuum. Occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants play a vital role in the field of patient safety because of holistic, client-centered approaches, and the development of unique relationships. This position in the care delivery system places occupational therapy professionals at the forefront for advocating, guiding, and leading patient safety initiatives and working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals for the benefit of keeping all patients and the public safe.
electronic medical records to track parameters and alert healthcare providers to potential issues, with one organization reporting annual savings of $900,000 through reduced adverse events. Computerized ADE monitoring works by setting an application called an event monitor over the clinical database.
Standardized protocols have shown significant improvements in patient outcomes, such as a four-fold increase in survival rates for patients with severe respiratory disease. The FDA maintains oversight of drug safety through rigorous approval processes and guidelines. Special attention must be given to populations at increased risk for medical errors, as mandated by Florida Statute 64B9-5.011. These vulnerable groups include infants and children (due to complex dosage calculations), older adults (affected by communication barriers and polypharmacy), individuals with limited English
CASE STUDIES
Failure to Act on an Abnormal Test Louise (pronouns she/her/hers) went to her primary care physician after discovering some irregularities in her left breast. Dr. Breem did not think it was of any consequence but sent her for a mammogram even though she had just had one 5 months previously. The mammogram report was sent to Dr. Breem, who noted that there was some irregularity in the breast. However, Dr. Breem made the decision to ignore the irregularity. One year later Louise died of breast cancer.
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