Information technology and its intersection with military health care was at the forefront of a key discussion at the annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference, held in Chicago, Illinois, from April 17 to 21.

Dr. Paul Cordts, chief medical officer and deputy assistant director of medical affairs for the Defense Health Agency, talked about how IT can help make patient care safer in the Military Health System, first giving an overview of the DHA and sharing the director’s vision of future.

“Most of our work is in building a modernized, integrated, and resilient health delivery system,” he said.

Health Worker Burnout a Concern

One of the biggest concerns that can affect patient safety is health care worker burnout.

The Department of Defense’s Patient Safety Culture Survey 2022 showed that “about 47% of our staff reported some element of burnout. It's not a new phenomenon,” said Cordts. “The challenge for us is what are we going to do about it.”

“Burnout can have profound negative impact on patient safety, the well-being of the individuals affected, and health care organizations. Reducing burnout will require enterprise-level solutions,” he added.

Cordts noted one factor leading to burnout is working on health records, and EHR enhancements can help with this. “Efficient electronic health records users are less likely to experience burnout and more likely to make well-informed care decisions quickly.”

MHS GENESIS, the Department of Defense’s new electronic health record, aims to help with safer medication ordering and administration by having a computerized patient order entry and the use of barcodes for medication administration.

Cordts noted research by DHA revealed users who have efficient and optimal use of MHS GENESIS “are less likely to experience burnout. A third of users are using the system very efficiently.”

Better Communication, Less Burnout

Enhanced communication can also help with burnout. The creation of a ready, reliable care safety communication strategy could lead to less burnout by health care workers, acknowledged Cordts.

The DHA created the Ready Reliable Care Safety Communication Bundle to help this worker burnout and to create safer patient care.

This communication practice is designed to increase leadership engagement, improve teamwork, and reduce workplace stressors that contribute to burnout.

The Safety Communication Bundle applies to clinical and non-clinical areas. Some departments and units may use all the practices, and some may not, depending on services provided in the facility. All departments and units will use or participate in some of the practices; for example, Leader Daily Safety Briefs, Safety Leadership Rounds and Unit-Based Huddles.

The six practices of the Ready Reliable Care Safety Communication Bundle include:

• Leader daily safety brief
• Safety leadership rounds
• Unit based huddle
• I-Pass
• Surgical brief-debrief
• Universal protocol

“If we can execute on these six communication practices, it will reduce the stress in the workplace and contribute to reducing burnout,” said Cordts.

Cordts believes the efficient use of IT creates an “opportunity to improve burnout and reduce medication errors. The use of artificial intelligence will become a necessary adjunct to decision-making and enhancing diagnostic acumen.”