Attack of the Killer Computers: Do computers harm Virginia patients?

Alhough you might think that Attack of the Killer Computers is another bad movie on the sci-fi channel, the truth is that so called "Health IT" may be doing more harm than good. While you may not have to worry about a computer growing legs and attacking, you should be concerned that an error in the program used to keep your medical records could do harm.

When Computers Make Mistakes, Patients in Virginia are Harmed

For many years, people believed that computer based medical records, also known as Health IT, would help prevent doctor, nurse, and hospital errors. Although a typed entry on a patient’s record or a printed prescription factors out illegible doctor handwriting, there are other mistakes being made that are injuring and killing patients. Some of the more serious errors include:

• Dosing errors (wrong numbers typed into program) 
• Failure to detect life-threatening illness (missing information) 
• Delaying treatment (poor human-computer interactions) 
• Loss of data (deleted entries or computer failure) 

Searching for a Solution

Many believe that the primary problem with Health IT is that the industry is not properly regulated. Currently, there are no official regulations or standards that apply to Health IT. This means that anyone who creates an electronic medical record program can sell it to doctors and hospitals, even if the program is flawed.

As medical malpractice attorneys, we are concerned about the rising number of medical mistakes made in Virginia because of computer-based medical records systems. We hope that continued research and patient advocacy will force IT companies to make programs that work. Too often, however, patients must die or suffer before the issue is addressed.

If you are the victim of a medical mistake in Norfolk, do not hesitate to contact an attorney at Tavss Fletcher. Our Norfolk, VA medical malpractice attorneys are ready to fight for your rights as a patient. Call 757.625.1214 today.