The article discusses the use of specialized information technology (IT) solutions in providing quality care to patients with serious medical conditions that require emergency and acute care. In particular, the authors talk about the use of the Acute Cardiac Ischemia Time-Insensitive Predictive Instrument Information System (ACI-TIPI-IS) in the improvement of patient safety.
Several IT solutions used in medical care are inefficient in caring for patients with certain conditions (Spekowius & Wendler, 2006). In the article, the authors discuss the use of ACI-TIPI-IS in the diagnosis, triage, and treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
The authors cover several points in the article. First, they discuss the need for the improvement of the quality of care given to patients with ACS. Errors are common in the treatment of patients hence the need for specialized IT solutions (McDaniel, 2009).
For instance, the authors note that medical errors lead to the dismissal of 12,000 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 14,000 paints with unstable angina pectoris without any medical attention (Daudelin, Kwong, Beshansky & Selker, 2005). Medical errors lead to an increased rate of mortality among patients and cases of malpractice (Spekowius & Wendler, 2006).
Second, they discuss the Acute Cardiac Ischemia Time-Insensitive Predictive Instrument Information System (ACI-TIPI-IS) that was used in the study. The system provided information in order to improve ED operations in providing patient care (Daudelin et al., 2005).
The system is one of the IT solutions used in the care of patients with ACS. The authors identify the system’s weaknesses that resulted in errors during the treatment of patients with myocardial infarctions. In addition, they discuss the process of developing and implementing the IT solution that improved the ACI-TIPI technology that involved integrating the database and feedback system.
The authors also discuss the process of creating an integrated TIPI-IS system. The system involved the use of a predictive algorithm that was incorporated into the electrocardiograph software. The algorithm computed the probabilities that patients with certain symptoms had ACS (Daudelin et al., 2005). The data generated by the system was used to generate analytical and patient reports.
The TIPI-IS integrated the data in order to create patient records use by ED personnel. The project also involved the development of patient safety alerts that informed the doctors about specific patients who needed further care. The TIPI-IS generated retrospective reports with regard to the management of ED patients (Daudelin et al., 2005). The authors discuss the testing of the system in different hospitals, the challenges encountered, and lessons learned.
The article is informative because the authors discuss the topic exhaustively. The study is well described and discussed. The authors provide sufficient information that could be used for further study. The use of illustrations makes the article more comprehensible. On the other hand, the authors enumerate the steps followed in certain stages of the study.
For instance, they list the steps followed in implementing the system in different hospitals. The article is well organized and enlightening. However, it is very technical, and the authors make little efforts to demystify certain technical terms. They do not explain the meanings of the numerous terms used in the article. This makes the article difficult to comprehend, especially for individuals with little technical knowledge regarding the topic.
References
Daudelin, D. H., Kwong, M., Beshansky, J. R., & Selker, H. P. (2005). Using Specialized Information Technology to Reduce Errors in Emergency Cardiac Care. Advances in Patient Safety, 1(3), 7-20.
McDaniel, J. (2009). Advances in Information Technology and Communication in Health. New York: IOS Press.
Spekowius, G., & Wendler, T. (2006). Advances in Healthcare Technology: Shaping the Future of Medical Care. New York: Springer Science & Business Media.