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Anaesthesiologists' views on the need for point-of-care information system in the operating room: a survey of the European Society of Anaesthesiologists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2005

A. Perel ,
H. Berkenstadt ,
A. Ziv ,
R. Katzenelson  and
A. Aitkenhead
A. Perel
Affiliation:
Tel Aviv University, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Tel Hashomer, Israel
H. Berkenstadt
Affiliation:
Tel Aviv University, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Tel Hashomer, Israel Tel Aviv University, Israel Center for Medical Simulation, Sheba Medical Centre, Tel Hashomer, Israel
A. Ziv
Affiliation:
Tel Aviv University, Israel Center for Medical Simulation, Sheba Medical Centre, Tel Hashomer, Israel
R. Katzenelson
Affiliation:
Tel Aviv University, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Tel Hashomer, Israel
A. Aitkenhead
Affiliation:
Queen's Medical Centre, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Nottingham, UK
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Abstract

Summary

Background and objective: In this preliminary study we wanted to explore the attitudes of anaesthesiologists to a point-of-care information system in the operating room. The study was conducted as a preliminary step in the process of developing such a system by the European Society of Anaesthesiologists (ESA).

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to all 2240 attendees of the ESA's annual meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, which took place in April 2001.

Results: Of the 329 responders (response rate of 14.6%), 79% were qualified specialists with more than 10 yr of experience (68%), mostly from Western Europe. Most responders admitted to regularly experiencing lack of medical knowledge relating to real-time patient care at least once a month (74%) or at least once a week (46%), and 39% admitted to having made errors during anaesthesia due to lack of medical information that can be other-wise found in a handbook. The choice of a less optimal but more familiar approach to patient management due to lack of knowledge was reported by 37%. Eighty-eight percent of responders believe that having a point-of-care information system for the anaesthesiologists in the operating room is either important or very important.

Conclusions: This preliminary survey demonstrates that lack of knowledge of anaesthesiologists may be a significant source of medical errors in the operating room, and suggests that a point-of-care information system for the anaesthesiologist may be of value.

Keywords

INFORMATION SYSTEMS, anaesthesiology, operating roomEDUCATION, MEDICAL, anaesthesiology, continuing, graduateRISK MANAGEMENTSAFETY MANAGEMENTMEDICAL ERRORS
Type
Original Article
Information
European Journal of Anaesthesiology , Volume 21 , Issue 11 , November 2004 , pp. 898 - 901
Copyright
2004 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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