A study of surgical patients, across 168 hospitals, showed that 23% of patients experience a major complication during their stay. We like to think of complications as atypical events. However, the unfortunate truth is that they are quite common. While most medical complications are easily identified and are treated in a timely manner, not all are recognized soon enough. And delayed intervention means fewer treatment options and poorer outcomes.
A Way to Detect Major Medical Complications Sooner
To deliver better care, doctors and nurses need to fully understand the patient’s current status in order to predict potential problems. Yet, many hospitals in the United States rely on only vital signs as status indicators and do not capitalize on the full complement of available patient information, especially nursing assessments — each nurse’s careful evaluation of his/her patient’s condition that is conveniently recorded in the electronic medical record (EMR). With this data, it is possible to implement an “unblinking eye”: a 24/7 evaluation of patient status that leverages patient data more completely. In an age of such tremendous technological innovation, health care must step up and change outdated processes to help save lives by integrating and embracing all patient data to identify deterioration sooner.