Proposal for the Implementation of Quality Standards in a Medical Unit Through Integration to the Hospital Information System

Quality standards (QS) support and enhance health care services provided to patients and citizens, especially in sophisticated medical departments, such as Intensive Care Units (ICU). However, ICU staff lag behind in the adoption and compliance of QS protocols. In this paper, QS protocols implemented in the Intensive Care Unit of the Attiko University Hospital, a tertiary teaching hospital of the University of Athens, will be discussed. In this hospital, standardized procedures are implemented through the HIS, facilitating routine administration and services. We are aiming to facilitate educational processes and enhance staff compliance with the protocols by utilizing the Hospital Information System (HIS). In doing this, we propose the application of pop-up windows on the different user (medical or nursing) interfaces of the HIS, inter-connecting every electronic process with the corresponding QS protocol that has been developed in the ICU. This application may prove a valuable educational tool and may reinforce staff training and enhance compliance with the QS protocols.