Eric G. Tangalos, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations states that medication errors continue to be one of the most frequent causes of preventable harm in healthcare. As Tangalos sees it, electronic and IT solutions hold the greatest promise to eliminate these errors.

The Joint Commission, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and other organizations have identified medication errors and the points of transition during patients’ care that increase their likelihood as promising targets in the push to improve quality outcomes. Communication, coordination of care, and the effective application of health IT hold the key to reducing errors and improving patient safety.