Journal of Health & Medical Informatics

An Evaluation of Success of Electronic Health Records in Reducing Preventable Medical Error Rates in the United States: A Detailed Report

Abstract

Hariesh Rajasekar*

Abstract
Medical errors in the United States are estimated to claim anywhere between 210,000 and 400,000 human lives every year and the numbers have skyrocketed almost five times higher than the 1999 estimates published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). With these latest revelations, it is no surprise that medical errors are the third leading cause of deaths in the United States, overshadowing auto accidents, strokes, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and everything else besides cancer and heart diseases. With hundreds of thousands of people dying from preventable medical errors every year, the issue has long been a reality and has not really received the attention it merits. The digital revolution to move paper records on digital space is in uptick and the track records have backed Electronic Health Records in curtailing medication and communication related errors but haven’t shown certainty and promise in curtailing diagnostic and technology related errors. That said, the rising death toll of preventable medical errors have however, not been put to a stop. At the outset, this paper centres on evaluating the success rate of health-IT in curtailing medical error rates in the United States and asserts on the need to implement effective strategies and improve diligence on revamping systems to reduce the incidence of medical errors and make it a national priority! Outcome of the paper would help consumers perceive an understanding of health-IT’s potential in reducing preventable medical errors. Is health-IT knight, knave or a pawn?