Avoiding Adverse Consequences of E-Health

Abstract

E-health has been heralded as a possible solution to reducing the major problem of preventable medical error. However, the available evidence is not strong, and there is increasing awareness that implementation of health information technology can result in error of itself. E-health has the potential to alter workflows in unpredictable ways, introduce new types of error, and change the way clinicians communicate and behave. It is necessary to educate designers and clinicians about these problems so that solutions can be created that minimize risk. Given the pace of e-health development, agreement on a broad strategy is needed now to ensure that it helps to improve safety for users of health services. The principles of patient safety should be integrated into e-health solutions so that adverse consequences are avoided.