Understanding health information technologies as complex interventions with the need for thorough implementation and monitoring to sustain patient safety

Abstract

Health information technology (HIT) transforms health care with increasing speed. However, if not implemented and monitored thoroughly, HIT can also cause harm to patients despite opposite intentions. The risk for an implementation failure emerges. Understanding HIT as complex interventions can not only help to guide their implementation and monitoring to avoid implementation failure, but also their development with the aim to avoid patient harm. By that, we are be able to gain a better understanding of working mechanisms and potential problems that might arise when implementing HIT in specific settings like hospitals. The present article highlights the relevance of this issue and provides a model with key elements of the development and evaluation process of complex HIT interventions.