Title : Introduction of IT system in a surgical department DGH and its impact on patient safety
Abstract:
1. A new digital system - Cerner - has been rolled out at PAH, replacing existing programmes for documentation, prescribing, and OP services.
2. Both fluency of the surgical team at using the new IT application CERNER , and functionality of the system are essential in ensuring optimum patient care is maintained during this transition.
3.Lack of adequate training, and dysfunctionality of the system at times led to delays, near misses, and misses that could have compromised patient care and safety
Method:
- Designed a questionnaire in the form of a survey with three sections; one aimed at registrars, and consultants, one aimed at SHOs, FY2s, and FY1s, and one aimed at trauma co-ordinators.
- Each section contained questions designed to gauge the level of confidence of the particular group at using the system to do tasks that pertain to their grade/role.
Discussion:
- As time goes on, all trust staff including our team members will be more acquainted with the system.
- However, issues that come up need to be addressed promptly in order to maintain patient safety.
- A word document can be created and kept on the X-drive for FAQs about the system, where other members of the team can elaborate where possible, and unresolved issue(s) can be raised with the IT department.
- Any patient safety issue resulting from inadequate training in how to use the system or system faults can be recorded on an excel sheet and/or datixed appropriately for reference, and feedback to avoid any misses/near misses in the future.
