Smart Healthcare: Utilizing Technology to Enhance Patient Safety

This course explores the role of technology in improving patient safety within healthcare settings. Participants will gain insights into how smart healthcare solutions address human factors, mitigate risks, and enhance efficiency. The course covers key concepts, including the integration of artificial intelligence, automation, and digital tools to reduce medical errors and improve patient outcomes. Additionally, it discusses the challenges, unintended consequences, and ethical considerations associated with implementing smart healthcare technologies.

• Define key concepts related to patient safety, including medical errors, near misses, and adverse events.
• Analyze the impact of human factors on healthcare errors and patient safety.
• Explain the role of technology in mitigating human errors and improving healthcare outcomes.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of AI, automation, and digital tools in enhancing patient safety.
• Identify challenges and barriers to implementing smart healthcare technologies.
• Assess the ethical and security concerns associated with AI and digital health solutions.
• Develop strategies to minimize unintended consequences of smart healthcare technologies.
• Recommend best practices for integrating technology while maintaining a human-centered approach to patient safety.

Patient Safety in Healthcare: Technology, Human Factors, and Just Culture

• Defining patient safety and its significance in healthcare
• Common medical errors, near misses, and adverse events
• The role of human factors in medical errors
• Establishing a just culture for reporting and learning from errors
• Importance of teamwork, communication, and standardized protocols
• Overview of the International Patient Safety Goals (IPSGs)

Smart Healthcare: Overcoming Human Factors With Technology

• Understanding human factors and their impact on patient safety
• The role of Human Factors Engineering (HFE) in healthcare
• Common causes of human errors in healthcare settings
• Technologies to mitigate human errors (automation, AI, barcoding, digital alerts)
• Implementing user-friendly and error-proof systems
• Continuous improvement through feedback and monitoring

Challenges and Solutions in Smart Healthcare

• The benefits of smart healthcare in improving patient outcomes
• Challenges in implementing healthcare technology (cost, training, resistance)
• Ethical considerations in AI and digital health (privacy, bias, data security)
• Solutions to ensure successful technology adoption and patient safety
• Case studies: Success stories and lessons learned in smart healthcare implementation

Unintended Consequences of Smart Healthcare Technology

• Potential risks and failures of healthcare technology
• System errors, misdiagnoses, and technology-induced errors
• Human errors due to poor system design and usability challenges
• Strategies to mitigate risks: Regular system testing and continuous monitoring
• Balancing technology with human oversight for safer healthcare delivery