The uptake of technologies designed to influence medication safety in Canadian hospitals

Abstract

Canadian hospitals appear poised to make sizeable investments in poorly evaluated technologies that address medication safety.

Reported medication errors after introducing an electronic medication management system

“…Despite significant support for the use of technology to improve medication safety in hospitals (Garling , Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care , ,b), adoption in Australian hospitals has been slow (Saginur et al . , Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care ,b).…”

Pharmacists and Health Information Technology: Emerging Issues in Patient Safety

“…Such factors as the stage of development of technology for end user adoption, or the system of patient care that the technology is incorporated into can be underdeveloped in terms of assuring safety. A study by Saginur et al (2008) suggests that hospitals continue to plan for greater technology use in an effort to increase patient safety, despite the lack of beneficial evidence. Potential problems cited in the study included the cost to implement these new technologies; that many of the technologies are immature and not ready for widespread use; and that the technologies often are not linked together (i.e., physician order entry is not linked to the pharmacy health record system).…”

“…A system that is suited for a pharmacist may not have applications that facilitate ease of use for a physician. The steps necessary for conversion of systems to a specific environment may contribute to potential limitations for providers and risks that can be passed on to the patient (Saginur et al, 2008). These challenges are a substantial area of development that is taking place in advancing the value and safety of clinical decision support tools.…”

Maths for medications: an analytical exemplar of the social organization of nurses' knowledge

“…For example, electronically scanning bar‐coded patients prior to working with them calls to mind a grocery clerk scanning canned goods. The dominant hegemony captured by language of quality (Burritt et al ., 2007; Glickman et al ., 2007), interprofessional practice (Ladden et al ., 2006; Barnsteiner et al ., 2007), technology (Carayon et al ., 2007; Koppel et al ., 2008; Saginur et al ., 2008), and communication (Anthony & Preuss, 2002; Ruland, 2004) create a powerful movement controlling medication work. This diverts our focus and may distract attention from what nurses know and do that creates safe environments for patients.…”