Patient Safety Informatics: Meeting the Challenges of Emerging Digital Health

Ciarán McInerney*, Jonathan Benn, Dawn Dowding, Ibrahim Habli, David A. Jenkins, Carolyn McCrorie, Niels Peek, Rebecca Randell, Richard Williams, Owen A. Johnson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution is based on cyber-physical systems and the connectivity of devices. It is currently unclear what the consequences are for patient safety as existing digital health technologies become ubiquitous with increasing pace and interact in unforeseen ways. In this paper, we describe the output from a workshop focused on identifying the patient safety challenges associated with emerging digital health technologies. We discuss six challenges identified in the workshop and present recommendations to address the patient safety concerns posed by them. A key implication of considering the challenges and opportunities for Patient Safety Informatics is the interdisciplinary contribution required to study digital health technologies within their embedded context. The principles underlying our recommendations are those of proactive and systems approaches that relate the social, technical and regulatory facets underpinning patient safety informatics theory and practice.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMEDINFO 2021: One World, One Health – Global Partnership for Digital Innovation
Subtitle of host publicationOne World, One Health - Global Partnership for Digital Innovation - Proceedings of the 18th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics
EditorsPaula Otero, Philip Scott, Susan Z. Martin, Elaine Huesing
PublisherIOS Press BV
Pages364-368
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9781643682655
ISBN (Print)9781643682648
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Jun 2022
Event18th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics: One World, One Health - Global Partnership for Digital Innovation, MEDINFO 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 2 Oct 20214 Oct 2021

Publication series

NameStudies in Health Technology and Informatics
Volume290
ISSN (Print)0926-9630
ISSN (Electronic)1879-8365

Conference

Conference18th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics: One World, One Health - Global Partnership for Digital Innovation, MEDINFO 2021
CityVirtual, Online
Period2/10/214/10/21

Bibliographical note

© 2022 International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) and IOS Press.

Keywords

  • Digital Technology
  • Informatics
  • Patient safety

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