| Abstract | US adoption of health information technology as a path to improved quality of
patient care (effectiveness, safety, timeliness, patient-centeredness, efficiency, and
equity) has been promoted by the medical community. Children and infants
(especially those with special health care needs) are at higher risk than are adults
for medical errors and their consequences (particularly in environments in which
children are not the primary patient population). However, development and
adoption of health information technology tools and practices that promote pediatric
quality and patient safety are lagging. Two inpatient clinical processes—
medication delivery and patient care transitions—are discussed in terms of health
information technology applications that support them and functions that are
important to pediatric quality and safety. Pediatricians and their partners (pediatric
nurses, pharmacists, etc) must develop awareness of technical and adaptive issues
in adopting these tools and collaborate with organizational leaders and developers
as advocates for the best interests and safety of pediatric patients. Pediatric health
information technology adoption cannot be considered in terms of applications
(such as electronic health records or computerized physician order entry) alone
but must be considered globally in terms of technical (health information technology
applications), organizational (structures and workflows of care), and cultural
(stakeholders) aspects of what is best. Pediatrics 2008;122:e1287-e1296 |