The Joint Commission released a new Sentinel Event Alert focused on the safe use of health information technology.
Here are five things to know:
1. The new alert focuses on health IT-related factors contributing to sentinel events and includes suggested solutions for healthcare organizations.
2. This alert builds on the Sentinel Event Alert, Issue 42 that was released in 2008 and focused on safely implementing healthcare information and converging technologies.
3. The suggested actions in the alert include:
• Identifying and reporting health IT-related hazardous conditions
• Involve IT staff members and vendors in adverse event analysis if patients are harmed
• Test and install new technology properly
4. The Joint Commission is also offering a continuing education course on investigating and preventing HIT-related patient safety issues.
5. The Joint Commission analyzed 3,375 sentinel events resulting in permanent patient harm or death over more than three years, beginning in 2010. There were 120 events associated with IT-related factors.