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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Toni A. Siriko, Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma, 610 Elm Avenue, Burton Hall, Rm 101, Norman, OK 73019-2081, 713-208-2924, tsiriko@ou.edu

Multiple factors contribute to healthcare errors including human, environmental, patient, technology, system, and leadership factors. With special attention to human factors, communication emerges as the foremost influence in medical errors. As health promoters, leaders, and providers strive for the safety of patients, they must communicate a safety culture, educate about safety, develop safety models, and lead by example. To supplement this objective, technology is often incorporated to transform much of healthcare. Comprehensive solutions promoting high healthcare quality and safety are doing so through good practice and technological advancement. Sophisticated tracking and monitoring computer systems are increasingly introduced to identify, prevent, and minimize medical errors in hospitals. In addition to reducing error rates, research suggests such practices help improve the quality of care, drive down care costs, and prevent deaths. To help identify breaches in patient safety, the integration of geographical information systems (GIS) is posited. The current paper proposes the use of GIS to trace the intrahospital movements of patients. In addition, and unique to previous examples, the paper introduces the use of geo-spatial and temporal modeling to detect potential risk points for safety errors. Furthermore, actor-network theory (ANT) is applied in order to assess the communicative role of interactants and their relationships with the technological environment. Following the relevant literature review on patient safety, emergency departments, intrahospital patient flow, technology and GIS, and ANT; propositions for GIS and ANT in patient safety in emergency departments are advanced. The remaining sections, subsequently, describe the proposed study's methodology, discussion, and conclusions.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Recognize the salience for patient safety systems.
• Understand intrahospital patient transfer through an actor-network theoretical framework.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of geographical information systems as a key tool in intrahospital patient transfers.
• Discuss the potential benefits of geospatial and temporal technology in patient safety.

Keywords: Safety, Geographic Information Systems

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered