The Digital Technologies’ Contributions to Patient Safety in the Hospital Setting

Abstract

Introduction: Patient safety contributes to reducing the risk of unnecessary harm in healthcare at a minimally acceptable level. The promotion of safe care is favored by the promotion of digital technologies in healthcare practices.
Objective: To analyze the contributions of digital technologies and the goals for the promotion of patient safety in the hospital setting.
Methods: Integrative review carried out in the CINAHL, Web of Science, MEDLINE, LILACS and IBECS databases, with the use of the PICO strategy and classification of the level of evidence. The sample includes thirteen primary studies selected without temporal delimitation and written in Portuguese, English and Spanish, related with the set objective and meeting with the inclusion criteria. The outcomes were processed in the EndNote Web software. Data collection took place between October and December 2019. The Health Science Descriptors (DeCS) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) were part of the search strategies used in each database. The outcomes were analyzed descriptively.
Conclusion: Digital technologies favored the safety of hospitalized patients, which resulted in adequate communication, risk management, cost and service time reduction, safe medication practice, as well as in adverse event recording.