Technology and Error: a Part of the Healthcare Delivery System

Innovation in medical technology has been successful in fighting diseases with electronics and achieving better outcome. However, the lack of know-how of technology, training, and orientation about handling the technology devices and proper maintenance of these medical devices led to medical errors and iatrogenic incidences. The need of the hour is to make a robust healthcare delivery system that keeps the patient at the heart of the system, with proper synergy between technology and the caregiver for better outcome and zero scope for any medical error. In any complex system like healthcare, errors are inevitable but it is important to ensure that the error is documented within the healthcare delivery system (HDS). There should also be an open discussion on such mistakes and medical errors instead of keeping them under wraps. This will ensure that the patient develops more trust and faith in the caregiver. The HDS should be further strengthened by obeying the set protocols and standard operating procedures as this will translate into patient safety. Manufacturers and service providers should ensure the periodical maintenance of these high-tech devices so that the equipment platform is more reliable and there is less service burden within the healthcare delivery systems.