Human error in medicine in intolerable and completely unacceptable, according to Alexandra Godfrey, MS, PA-C, contributor to the journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)., a peer-reviewed clinical journal.
Godfrey explains that while all medical professionals do everything possible to avoid errors, we should recognize that human error is unavoidable. In fact, there are many factors that can lead to error that are very common in the healthcare environment, such as constant interruption, shift work, disrupted sleep patterns, unique situations, volatile situations, diagnostic uncertainty, and cognitive overload.
EMR software and systems are designed to make the many routine and mindless tasks taken care of by a computer, instead of the human brain that could be better used in other areas. Electronic medical records in the emergency healthcare environment can significantly help medical staff take their focus off small tasks so that they can give more attention to the medical emergencies. For example, physicians can request serial NMTS instantly and begin diagnoses order sets for serious conditions that need to be handled immediately.
An emergency room is a very difficult and intense environment that demands assiduous and painstakingly close attention to detail and rapid and immediate responses. There are certain things that are better left to computer, such as patient health record organization and filing, and diagnostic orders. Electronic medical record systems can facilitate and streamline processes and leave medical staff more available to focus on the patient care.
I think ALL hospitals should be using EMR software to help protect patients against errors!