MS JULIE LI Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University
PROFESSOR ANDREW GEORGIOU Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie UniversityServices
Reducing error with diagnostic informatics Up to 70% of critical clinical decisions leverage information generated by laboratories—but the US
hospital adverse events.1 The Diagnostic Informatics team at the Australian
ECRI Institute (formerly Emergency Care Research
Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie
Institute) identifies diagnostic stewardship, and
University, aims to reduce diagnostic error. The
test result management using electronic health
team looks at the role that information technology
records, as its top patient safety concerns for 2019.
(IT) plays in generating, gathering, integrating,
While diagnostic testing (pathology and medical
interpreting and communicating clinical test data
imaging) generates information that is crucial to
and information. It examines the pivotal role of
the prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, stratification
pathology and medical imaging in the clinical
of risk and treatment of disease, diagnostic error
decision-making process, underpinned by the
occurs when there is a failure to: (a) establish an
generation and communication of digital clinical
accurate and timely explanation of the patient’s
information.
health problem(s); or (b) communicate that explanation to the patient. Diagnostic error is a major contributor to
The entire diagnostic process is covered, beginning with the selection of the right test/ referral to address a clinical question through to
problems related to the safety and quality of
the interpretation and follow-up of test results and
healthcare, contributing to approximately 10% of
their impact on patient care outcomes and the
patient deaths and accounting for 6% to 17% of
value of care.
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The Health Advocate • AUGUST 2019
