An integrated approach to safety-driven and ICT-enabled process reengineering: methodological advice and a case study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
• Patient Safety Engineering

Background:

• Patient safety is paramount in healthcare.
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) offer solutions for care and management.
• Risk analysis identifies areas for ICT intervention and process improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an integrated approach for enhancing patient safety through process reengineering and risk management.
• To demonstrate the application of this approach using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.
• To provide methodological advice for ICT-solution design in healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• Process reengineering methodologies.
• Risk assessment studies.
• Technology assessment of enabling technologies, specifically Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).

Main Results:

• The integration of process reengineering, technology assessment, and risk management improves user acceptance and patient safety.
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) implementation supports item and people identification and tracing.
• The case study at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori (INT) demonstrates successful application in surgical kits management.

Conclusions:

• An integrated approach combining process reengineering, risk assessment, and technology is effective for improving patient safety.
• ICT solutions, particularly RFID, play a crucial role in optimizing healthcare processes.
• Methodological advice derived from this case study can guide future ICT implementations in healthcare.