Health information technology and patient safety: evidence from panel data.
Despite widespread interest in the implementation of health information technology (HIT) and a systematic review demonstrating its positive effects on clinical outcomes, use of HIT remains limited. This AHRQ-funded study focused on the relationship between information technology implementation and patient safety by examining the incidence of selected patient safety indicators (PSIs) after implementation of HIT. Modest but significant improvements in some PSIs, including health care–associated infections, were associated with HIT implementation, corroborating the results of a prior study. The study did not assess whether specific elements of HIT, such as computerized provider order entry, were more effective at preventing errors.