Introduction
Technology has significantly impacted healthcare delivery and all other aspects of life, including communication and other forms of interaction. Technology has reduced the workload on human beings, but this comes with a price because it has disadvantages, too, which are sometimes harmful to humans. Medical errors have, for instance, been on the rise since the introduction of technology in healthcare delivery. Medical errors are among the leading causes of injury and death in the hospital environment today (Rodziewicz et al., 2022). The common causes of medical mistakes nurses commit include an increasing workload, communication problems, and inadequate knowledge or healthcare information systems illiteracy. Medical errors have adverse effects on both patients and care providers, including the risk of injury, extended hospitalization periods, and mortality on the part of patients. Care providers suffer shame, guilt, and liability issues, including malpractice suits, when committing medical errors. This paper will study a scenario in which a nurse committed a medical mistake and discuss the HIPAA rules and regulations concerning the safe use of technology and the advantages and disadvantages of technology in healthcare.
HIPAA, Legal, and Regulatory Issues
The US Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996 following an increased need to protect patients’ privacy by limiting the unauthorized disclosure of patients’ health information (Edemekong et al., 2020). The rule offers legal guidance on the safe use of patient data for the appropriate intended purposes. HIPAA also provides some legal ramifications for healthcare providers and other agencies responsible for patient care if caught negatively handling patient health information. The increased use of technology in healthcare increases the risk of healthcare providers and agencies violating HIPAA concerning patient privacy. The privacy and security rules apply to the safe storage and transfer of patient data in the healthcare system in electronic form, emphasizing authorized access to patient data and limiting the release of certain health information, including sensitive and identifiable patient data (Edemekong et al., 2020). In regards to this rule is the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 which requires care providers to report any safety events they are aware of. This rule protects these providers from liability issues and enhances the analysis of events that may impede patient safety and reduce healthcare quality.
Scenario Ending and Recommendations
I imagined an ending to the scenario where the patient suffered a stroke that caused Hemiplegia; the family got wind of the error and threatened to sue the facility for malpractice. The ending to this scenario addresses the effects of medical errors and how they harm patients, including the consequences to healthcare professionals and the organization. Medical errors potentially harm patients, sometimes causing permanent disability and death (Rodziewicz et al., 2022). Some actions could have contributed to this ending, which would have saved the situation if noticed and stopped early. The nurse in the scenario failed to scan the medication to determine if it was right and started the drip anyway. Then, they gave the patient the wrong medication, worsening their health. This medical error was most likely caused by ignorance, although other factors could have contributed, including technical and system problems (Rodziewicz et al., 2022). An increasing workload likely contributed to this problem, with the nurses in the unit having to work extra hard and failing to help the nurse who caused the error in verifying the drip. Again, the nurse was new but was left alone to cater to patients in the cardiology unit, one of the hospital’s most critical departments.
Medical errors cause significant distress to patients, their families, healthcare professionals, and management. Some of the recommended actions that could have been taken to mitigate the circumstances in the scenario are education for healthcare professionals on the appropriate use of Medical Administration Records charts. According to one study, wrong medication is among the leading causes of medication errors and harms patient outcomes (Kuitunen et al., 2020). Some of these errors can be prevented by healthcare professionals being careful during medication administration and regularly monitoring patients throughout the procedure before and after giving the patient the drug. An established system with barcode scanning to identify the drug for the patient correctly would have helped prevent this error before it happened (Kuitunen et al., 2020). An actively involved emergency response would have saved the patient’s life. A large workload on the nurse impeded their ability to notice the error even before it escalated into a stroke.
Advantages and Disadvantages
When technology is used appropriately in healthcare delivery, it can be very beneficial. Technology first improves communication, shortening the time between sending information and obtaining a response (Meinert et al., 2018). Healthcare professionals can easily communicate with one another using their mobile phones in case one needs the help of another. The management can also quickly contact professionals in case of upgrades to the system, notifying them of the same. The introduction of electronic medical administration charts also had a significant impact in reducing medical errors. Other electronic equipment, including the IV, closed-loop systems, and barcode scanning equipment, have also significantly impacted medication administration and patient outcomes. Technology has also positively impacted the public sharing of healthcare information (Meinert et al., 2018). When used correctly, healthcare professionals can use various social media platforms to share current statistics on different healthcare problems and health promotion inventions.
The disadvantages of healthcare technology also include its negative impact on patient safety. When misused, technology causes the danger of stigma and discrimination against other people when sensitive data on them is shared with unauthorized personnel. Nurses using personal devices at work for the wrong purposes leads to distraction and predisposes patients to medical errors. Inadequate knowledge of the appropriate use of technological devices also predisposes patients to harm and causes significant distress to healthcare professionals. Like any other equipment built by man, technological devices are prone to system errors which can be very harmful to patients unless recognized and corrected early (Meinert et al., 2018). The use of technology in healthcare poses the risk of medical errors when healthcare professionals need to be educated on their appropriate use for patient care.
Nurses are under an ethical obligation to act in the patient’s best interest to minimize harm and always do good (Haddad & Geiger, 2022). The HIPAA provides legal guidelines on the safe use of technology and maintaining patient privacy. Different professional bodies continue to establish standards for the safe use of technology in improving patients’ outcomes while minimizing harm. Technology should not be a source of distress for patients and their families but be appropriately utilized as intended. Healthcare professionals should be educated and practice the safe use of technology in healthcare delivery for the patients’ benefit.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Technology has had a significant impact on practically all fields of life. Medical errors, however, continue to be a significant issue today despite the idea that introducing technology in healthcare delivery would limit harm to patients caused by human error. It is common knowledge now that healthcare professionals are vital in promoting patient safety. There should be an emphasis on adequate training and preparation of healthcare professionals on handling medical equipment to prevent harm. Different stakeholders in the healthcare system have a vital role in protecting patients from damage caused by medical errors. There should be continued research on the most effective mechanisms to be applied in the system to prevent medical errors and improve patient outcomes.
References
Edemekong, P. F., Annamaraju, P., & Haydel, M. J. (2020). Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500019/#:~:text=The%20HIPAA%20Privacy%20Rule%20regulates
Haddad, L. M., & Geiger, R. A. (2022). Nursing ethical considerations. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526054/#:~:text=Nurses%20are%20advocates%20for%20patients
Kuitunen, S. K., Niittynen, I., Airaksinen, M., & Holmström, A.-R. (2020). Systemic Defenses to Prevent Intravenous Medication Errors in Hospitals. Journal of Patient Safety, 17(8), 1. https://doi.org/10.1097/pts.0000000000000688
Meinert, E., Alturkistani, A., Brindley, D., Knight, P., Wells, G., & de Pennington, N. (2018). Weighing benefits and risks in aspects of security, privacy and adoption of technology in a value-based healthcare system. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-018-0700-0
Rodziewicz, T. L., Hipskind, J. E., & Houseman, B. (2022). Medical Error Reduction and Prevention. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499956/
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