Unforeseen Events that May Delay or Affect Patient Care

Ensuring patient safety is fundamental in healthcare. This involves collaborating with healthcare providers, tracking treatment plans, managing medical records, and facilitating communication between the patient and medical staff for better health outcomes. However, there’s compelling evidence that unforeseen events occur within clinics and hospitals in the Philippines, especially in managing patient data on Electronic Medical Records (EMRs).

According to the World Health Organization, one out of ten patients experienced harm in healthcare. The underlying cause of medical errors is often the result of poorly designed systems and organizational structures.

Fortunately, these are manageable, and healthcare organizations can follow preventative measures to ensure adequate patient care and treatment.

Managing Unexpected Challenges in Patient Care

Unforeseen events disrupt the normal flow of patient care operations, which can negatively impact the patient’s safety. A clear, holistic and proactive patient care management policy should be implemented to avoid the risks listed below.

Healthcare providers can learn about common patient care challenges, enabling them to respond promptly and effectively.

These are the most common unforeseen events that may delay or affect patient care:

1. Human Errors

In many cases, human errors are among the leading causes of delays in patient care. For instance, these can include administrative operations or EMR data management. They can lead to significant consequences for both patients and medical practitioners.

Administrative/Data Entry Errors

Entering inaccurate information into an EMR system can cause potential setbacks in care delivery. Mistakes like incorrect patient details, medication dosages, or treatment plans can result in wrong diagnoses and treatment.

Healthcare providers can efficiently address these issues by implementing standardized forms, pre-filled fields, and a built-in validation check system within their EMR software.

It’s also essential to perform regular audits and take corrective actions when needed.

Unauthorized Access

Electronic Medical Records system access by an unauthorized individual may lead to data privacy violations or misuse of patient information.

When this happens, your facility is required to investigate the breach to restore compromised data and implement steps to secure personal data.

To prevent unauthorized access, consider implementing Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) within your EMR system. This added layer of data security can help you monitor and alert administrators of any suspicious access attempts in real time.

Deletion of Records

Of course, deleting patient records can also have serious consequences, such as repeat tests or delayed care. Whether it’s accidental or intentional, you may be unable to provide accurate diagnoses or treatment plans.

Consider implementing data backup, storage, and recovery protocols in your EMR. With backups, you can be sure that data can be restored and retrieved if deleted.

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2. Organizational Errors

Organizational errors occur if there are inefficiencies in an organization’s structure or management, which often lead to reduced quality of patient care and satisfaction.

Staff Shortages

Inadequate staffing results in longer queuing time for patients and reduces time spent on patient care. So, it slows down patient consultation and medical services.

However, healthcare organizations can always shift administrative or routine tasks to the Electronic Medical Records system. This enables staff to focus on providing better patient care.

Complex Processes and Procedures

Many healthcare professionals and organizations have overly complex or outdated processes, particularly in clinics, which can cause delays in decision-making and care delivery.

Among these are getting the patient’s list, consulting a doctor based on specialization, and paying consultation fees.

EMR systems can simplify these processes by reducing administrative tasks and minimizing manual errors. The software also has patient consultation and appointment scheduling features, as well as prescription generation.

3. Internal Errors/Issues

Internal errors are beyond a healthcare provider’s control and are often related to compliance requirements and regulations. This also includes security policies in device management.

Absence or Inconsistencies of Policies

Inconsistent or missing policies can also lead to confusion and errors in patient care. In contrast, organizations with clear policies will know how to handle unforeseen situations to deliver efficient care and treatment.

Sudden Regulatory Changes

Regarding patient care and safety, constant regulatory updates are unpredictable. Still, all healthcare providers should comply with new regulations and implement rules accordingly.

To adapt quickly, organizations can implement flexible Electronic Medical Records systems to accommodate sudden changes in regulations and policies.

Lost or Stolen Devices

There may be instances where devices containing patient data are lost or stolen. If these devices contain sensitive medical information, there’s a high risk of data breaches.

Thus, healthcare organizations must ensure all confidential data on their devices are encrypted.

4. Technological Errors

Technological errors range from minor glitches to update issues, which can last hours or days. Unfortunately, the Philippines has a higher risk of technological errors.

According to Global Finance, it’s ranked 63rd out of the 65 Most Technologically Advanced Countries In The World.

Internet Connectivity

There are also times when some healthcare facilities rely on the Internet to access EMRs, which can potentially disrupt essential patient care operations.

In severe cases, some treatments and procedures have to be halted due to the inability to access patient records or perform diagnostics.

To combat this, healthcare organizations can set up backup Internet connections with multiple providers to maintain connectivity even during power outages or interruptions.

System Maintenance and Updates

Routine maintenance and system updates are necessary to keep healthcare networks and systems running smoothly. Unexpected downtime can severely disrupt patient care delivery, including access and usage of EMRs.

While it’s true that this type of event is unplanned, it’s essential to have a backup system or contingency plan in place. Before system maintenance and system updates occur, consider keeping printable copies of your patient data.

Fortunately, some EMR systems allow you to save patient data in printable formats.

5. External Threats

The healthcare industry is also prone to external threats, such as cyber attacks, especially those that are reliant on digital technologies.

Cyber Attacks

Cyber attacks like ransomware, phishing, and data breaches are becoming more prevalent in the Philippines. In the 2020 Global Cybersecurity Index, the country ranked 61st out of 182, according to Information and Communications Technology.

Also, according to Statista, there were 26.2 million web browser-based cyber threats detected and foiled in the country.

However, implementing robust cybersecurity measures, such as firewalls and encryption, can protect your organization and sensitive patient data from cyber threats.

Many healthcare organizations further protect data by establishing regular backup procedures to minimize delays in patient care.

6. Natural Disasters

Acts of nature, though upsetting, are still a possibility. In worst-case scenarios, natural disasters can potentially damage infrastructure, cut off Internet connections, and result in an influx of patients.

Medical practitioners can minimize the impact of such disasters by being well-prepared. This includes proactive measures like backup power systems and offering remote healthcare services (telemedicine).

Strengthen Your Resilience in Patient Care Today!

In an industry where precision and timely intervention are crucial, unforeseen events can hamper or delay healthcare services.

To reduce risks associated with patient care, healthcare organizations must be compliant with data privacy regulations and implement cybersecurity practices to proactively manage these challenges.

Ultimately, this requires adaptability and preparedness. One effective approach to ensuring timely patient care is to invest in a reliable Electronic Medical Records system such as PxTrack, which is a secure cloud-based software.

Streamline Patient Care With the Help of an Electronic Medical Records System!