Abstrait

Support for Critical Care Decisions in Adults and Children.

Alejandra Joaquín

or decades, the medical profession has relied on decision support tools, which have evolved with technology to become largely computer-based and widely accessible to all clinicians in the form of smart phone apps, web-based search engines, online references and journal access, and bedside tools incorporated into daily clinical practice. The potential for further breakthroughs in biomedical informatics to improve healthcare quality is enormous, and it is being investigated more and more at the patient care and research levels. Clinical decision support aims to give physicians with up-to-date and relevant information to aid patient care at the point of care delivery. Computerized technology makes it possible to send this information to clinicians at the bedside in a timely manner. Hospitals throughout the world have deployed Computerized Decision Support (CDS) systems with the goal of improving diagnostic accuracy, reducing errors, providing preventative care, and improving patient outcomes. These tools are likely to become more incorporated into patient care as the field of medicine becomes more complex, as well as providing significant resources for clinical research. Clinicians in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) work in unique situations where computerized systems collect and display huge volumes of data, and where prompt, accurate diagnosis and treatment can have a significant impact on the quality of care and patient outcomes.