Ten Considerations for Easing the Transition to a Web-Based Patient Safety Reporting System
Abstract
Moving to a web-based system for tracking patient safety events is a goal of many health care organizations. How does an organization know if it is adequately prepared to make this significant process and cultural change? This article details 10 important considerations, along with additional insights and lessons gleaned from the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, and its successful transition to a paperless, web-based patient safety reporting system. The considerations are as follows: (1) Is the health care organization's (HCO) network and hardware capable of supporting a paperless environment?; (2) Does the organization's current reporting process accurately reflect the number and type of patient safety events that occur in the health care setting?; (3) Does the web-based event reporting system it is considering give the HCO details that will drive quality improvement?; (4) Does the organization consider risk management and patient relations to be independent, unrelated operations?; (5) Is the organization committed to involving staff at all levels in the creation of event reports?; (6) Will management staff in more than one department be used to investigate events and outcomes?; (7) Is the organization ready for transparency?; (8) Can the organization provide the necessary patient safety and risk management education for various levels of staff during a new software product implementation?; (9) Has the organization considered the policy and procedure revisions necessary to accommodate the reporting system change?; and (10) Is the HCO ready to use event data to guide the organization in providing a safer, more satisfying patient experience? The key points from the 10 considerations were further reconfigured as a readiness assessment tool for use by any organization that may be considering a move to a paperless event reporting system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA434542
Entities
People
- Sharon K. Ulep
- Sheryl L. Moran
Organizations
- United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality