Clinical information systems: instant ubiquitous clinical data for error reduction and improved clinical outcomes

Acad Emerg Med. 2004 Nov;11(11):1162-9. doi: 10.1197/j.aem.2004.08.010.

Abstract

Immediate access to existing clinical information is inadequate in current medical practice; lack of existing information causes or contributes to many classes of medical error, including diagnostic and treatment error. A review of the literature finds ample evidence to support a description of the problems caused by data that are missing or unavailable but little evidence to support one proposed solution over another. A primary recommendation of the Consensus Committee is that hospitals and departments should adopt systems that provide fast, ubiquitous, and unified access to all types of existing data. Additional recommendations cover a variety of related functions and operational concepts, from backups and biosurveillance to speed, training, and usability.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Consensus Development Conference
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Decision Making, Computer-Assisted*
  • Decision Support Systems, Clinical / standards*
  • Decision Support Systems, Clinical / trends
  • Emergency Medicine / standards*
  • Emergency Medicine / trends
  • Forecasting
  • Hospital Information Systems / standards*
  • Hospital Information Systems / trends
  • Humans
  • Medical Errors / prevention & control*
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care*
  • Quality Control
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Systems Integration