hims for medical errors

Learn How Hospital Information Management System Can Reduce The Medical Errors

August 17, 2021

Errors that have the potential to harm the wellness of the patient or result in the hospital’s failure treatment can not be overlooked. The high level of medication errors not only affects the health but also the finances of the patient. Therefore, management of the medical and healthcare system is of utmost priority for all healthcare professionals from around the world. 

Hospital information management system (HIMS) is one such technologically crafted software tool that not only minimizes or reduces the number of errors but also takes care of:

  • Data security
  • Better patient care
  • Ease of data retrieval
  • Easy management of inventory
  • Reduced manual documentation
  • Better audits and policy compliance
  • Ease of management and cost-effectiveness

Hospital management software is a 360 degree integrated solution for multi-chain and small-scale hospitals. The SoftClinic HIMS, for example, integrates very well with the appointment scheduler, patient registration, clinical modules, indoor management, accounting, reporting, media, and other modules of the hospital management. The HMS software helps in the job completion of the health care providers while taking care of all the managerial aspects with the help of technology.

Going further, let’s understand how the HMS software tools help to reduce medication errors in hospital management.

Use of hospital information management system to avoid medication errors

Hospital organizations and medical institutes proactively design and implement strategies to minimize the errors that can harm the patient and the work culture too. Considering the flow of technological advancements in all the sectors of the economy, even hospitals have taken the route to software solutions. The management information systems specifically designed for hospitals provide valuable insight into reducing the incidence of hospital and medication errors. 

Data management, with the help of hospital management systems, plays a major role in helping medical organizations stay ahead of medication errors. The machine learning and predictive analysis features of the HIMS are of enormous support in drawing result-oriented clinical decisions that identify and rectify the medication errors before time. 

Types of errors taken care of by the HIMS are:

  1. Medical errors

The pioneers of the medical field emphasize the use of HIMS to ensure improved patient safety. Medical errors are a matter of concern for experts, health care providers, and also policymakers. All this is because, in certain cases, medical errors result in irrevocable damages. 

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  • The care orders are digitally stored, after which the drug prescriptions are processed in a readable and accurate manner with a set of standard instructions. This also certifies that the provided patient prescription is accurate, complete, and legible. 
  • HMIS presents the relevant laboratory results, alerts about the allergies, drug-drug and experimental interventions, and dosage.
  • The system provides the reminder to include aspirin in the flu vaccine, coronary artery diseases, and subcutaneous heparin. 
  • It doubles the usage of monitoring drug levels.
  • It ensures there is no excessive use of antibiotics and diagnostic tests.
  • It closely monitors the radiology and laboratory tests. 
  • It integrates well with all the departments of the hospital, like nursing, nutrition,  radiology, laboratory, and pharmacy.
  • It provides easy access to drug references and patient data.
  • It aims to reduce the average stay of patients in hospitals.
  • It helps the patient in designing an appropriate treatment regimen. 
  • It monitors the dosage, type, and frequency of drugs.
  • It monitors the prescribers in all cases. 
  • It specifically monitors the allergies, side effects, and medication interventions for each patient.
  1. Assessment or administrative errors

Using HIMS takes care of medical errors which arise because of wrong assessments associated with incomplete information related to drugs and patients. All this ensures accuracy in planning, cost reduction, and quality because of a reduction in medical errors.

  • The software further categorizes and displays the information on time. 
  • The information is well integrated with the computerized records of the patient, and a complete data repository.
  • The software tool provides evidence-based guidance and standards concerning rules and recommendations, drug reference, protocols and procedures, reference books, and library databases, too. 
  • It helps in reducing total medication errors by reducing the adverse effects of antibiotics.
  • It reduces the nosocomial infection rate. 
  • It guides the patients in taking particular care of particular patients.
  • It monitors the effective usage of the medicines.
  • It takes care of pharmaceutical management.
  • It improves the tracking of negative drug effects.
  • It makes use of digital forms.

A comprehensive overview of how the hospital information management system avoids medical errors:

  • HIMS integrates the billing system with the lab, radiology, and treatments. Automatic alerts are sent in case of discounts, dues, and billing options before and after consultation. 
  • It avoids any errors in prescription management. Maintains the record of most recently and commonly used drugs. It also displays the alternative medicine options available in the pharmacy. 
  • It also provides an option for template-based discharge summary, to avoid any error. 
  • It ensures comprehensive pharmacy management. Takes care of stocks, prescription integration, reports, and ward requests. 
  • In addressing the lab management, the HIMS tool handles order management, smart notifications, custom reports, credit settlement, and MIS report. 
  • It ensures ease of data retrieval. 
  • It improves the visibility and transparency of the complete management process. 
  • It streamlines accurate reports and records.

Winding-up

As stated earlier, it’s difficult for the manual system to assure 100% accuracy in processing hospital management tasks. But, installing a hospital management system can reduce the occurrence of erroneous events completely. Installing an automated hospital management software helps avoid any compliance issues and lawsuits too.

Technology alone can not help in eliminating the prevalent errors in hospital management. It needs the equal contribution of staff administration to identify the shortcomings and get them resolved with technological help. Health information technology (HIT) is therefore the only solution for the medication error crisis. Hospital Software solutions improve the safety of the patient and also increase the productivity of the hotel staff, apart from ensuring an error-free work environment. You can book here the demo of the SoftClinic HIMS