Improving the safety of health information technology: From international knowledge to local application

Health information technology (HIT) safety is an important issue internationally. Clinician organizations (e.g. American Medical Association, Institute of Medicine) and health informatics organizations (e.g. Digital Health Canada) have made statements about HIT safety concerns and their implications.

This research will encompass several interconnected studies to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve HIT safety in Canada and internationally, to be conducted in a series of phases. 

• Phase 1 of the research will involve a systematic review of HIT safety issues and approaches to improving the safety of HIT as well as its safe use.
• In Phase 2, national incident reporting on HIT safety will be studied and analyzed from three countries (Canada, Finland and the United States).
• Phase 3 will involve clinical simulations to understand how technology-induced errors arise and to identify best practices that could be used to improve and educate health professionals on HIT safety.