Evaluation on Computerization of Medical Process from the Viewpoint of Patient Safety

Abstract

 [Aim] Does electronic healthcare record systems (EHR) more and more contribute to improvement of the patient safety in comparison with computerized physician order entry systems (CPOE)? By the national-scale questionnaire survey, effects and problems of the present hospital information systems are evaluated from the viewpoint of medical safety. [Method] The paper-based questionnaire survey was conducted from July to August, 2011, and 1,461 target hospitals which had been authorized to meet the functional criteria by Japan Council for Quality Health Care (JCQHC) were asked to fill in the forms with both multiple choice and open questions. And questionnaire data was analyzed. [Result] There was an answer from 616 hospitals in 1,461 (42% of answer rate). In the hospital group having EHR, a mean introduction rate of various functions for medical safety was higher than hospital group having CPOE. Although those functions were useful for prevention of harmful incidents/accidents, they were not fully able to suppress those occurring. [Discussion] It is necessary to improve user interface, especially in overviewing electronic healthcare records. It is also required more consistency of their data structure. Without those improvements, a present HIS could not contribute to medical safety enough.