3 July 2006
The successful implementation and usability of IT in the NHS will save the lives of patients and save the organisation money, according to an expert.
A study published in 2002, the Wanless Report, stated that one in ten patients will experience a "patient safety incident", which could be incorrect drug dosage, errors in reading or retrieving records, equipment failures and failures of communication.
Sinead Quinn, expert at UK hi-tech trade body Intellect believes that technology could cut down these accidents.
"Implementing the appropriate IT solution has been shown to improve quality and reduce errors of this kind by increasing adherence to guidelines and enhancing disease surveillance with systems and procedures that cannot be bypassed or short-circuited," she said.
Furthermore, patient safety incidents cost the NHS £530 million in clinical negligence claims with a further £7.6 billion set aside fro outstanding claims in 2004/05, claims the company.
Recent research suggested that the NHS could use technology to save further money, with its online recruitment website expected to save the organisation some £80 million.
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