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Appropriate uses of technology to reduce harm in drug dose calculations
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Thimbleby, Harold |
| Copyright Year | 2012 |
| Abstract | Handheld calculators and spreadsheets are ubiquitous and taken for granted. Yet in hospitals, routine calculations are problematic and can result in patient harm, for instance after omitting a decimal point in a drug dose calculation. This paper is concerned with dependable calculation, and examines user tasks and technologies for calculations in hospitals. We demonstrate significant differences in complexity, speed and accuracy between alternative methods of calculation. Combining reliable, easy to use, low technology ideas (like paper calculators) with high technology ideas (like touch screens) reduces user error and hence patient harm. The paper contributes to the debate about uses of technology to improve healthcare. This paper cites but does not support arguments that IT or the latest IT brings automatic benefits. National regulators are starting to require that apps are regulated. This paper provides evidence that “off the shelf” general purpose calculators are as dangerous in the clinical environment as apps, and should be subject to such regulation. Author |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://cs.swan.ac.uk/~csharold/nomogram/nomo2.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
