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Critical Care Complexity and Errors: Case Studies and Health Informatics Solutions

Chase Simmons

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Published in Cognitive Informatics In Health And Biomedicine: Case Studies On Critical Care Complexity And Errors (Health Informatics)

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Critical care units are complex environments where patients are often critically ill and require a high level of care. This complexity can lead to errors, which can have serious consequences for patients. Health informatics can play a role in reducing errors in critical care units by providing tools and technologies that can help clinicians make better decisions and avoid mistakes.

Cognitive Informatics in Health and Biomedicine: Case Studies on Critical Care, Complexity and Errors (Health Informatics)

by Vimla L. Patel

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	10231 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	777 pages

Case Studies

The following are two case studies of critical care errors that were caused by complexity:

A patient was given the wrong medication because the nurse was unfamiliar with the new medication dispensing system.
A patient was discharged from the hospital too early because the physician did not have access to all of the patient's medical records.

These cases illustrate the different types of errors that can occur in critical care units due to complexity.

Health Informatics Solutions

Health informatics can help to reduce errors in critical care units by providing tools and technologies that can help clinicians make better decisions and avoid mistakes. These tools and technologies include:

Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems can help to prevent medication errors by ensuring that medications are prescribed and administered correctly.
Electronic health records (EHRs) can provide clinicians with access to all of the patient's medical records, which can help to prevent errors that are caused by incomplete or inaccurate information.
Clinical decision support (CDS) systems can provide clinicians with real-time advice on the best course of treatment for a patient, which can help to prevent errors that are caused by incorrect or incomplete knowledge.

These are just a few of the many health informatics tools and technologies that can be used to reduce errors in critical care units.

Critical care complexity can lead to errors, which can have serious consequences for patients. Health informatics can play a role in reducing errors in critical care units by providing tools and technologies that can help clinicians make better decisions and avoid mistakes.

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