A recent U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) report addresses recommendations regarding oversight of information technology in patient safety. The report recommends the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fund an IT safety council. The HHS should publish a plan within 12 months to help reduce risk associated with patient safety in health IT. The report also recommends the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology work with private sector to evaluate patient safety and sharing of information in health IT. Depending on the timely success of the plan to improve patient safety, the report recommends the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) be in a position, if required, to promulgate requirements for regulation of health IT.1
The report states HHS should create a process for both IT vendors and medical users to report deaths, injuries, or unsafe conditions associated with health IT. Vendors would be required to report such events. Medical users could report these events on a voluntary basis where confidentiality is maintained and no punitive action taken.2
The report stresses that health IT products should be designed utilizing principles of quality and risk management.3
1,2,3Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (2011, November 8), Committee on Patient Safety and Health Information Technology. To Improve Patient Safety, Health Information Technology Needs Better Oversight, Accountability; November 2011.
Source: https://nam.edu/
