Table 3.
Classification of 117 problems reported in 99 computer-related patient safety incidents
| (Type) Problem | Frequency n=117 (%) | Consequence | |
| Delay n=56 (%) | Rework n=23 (%) | ||
| 1. Information input problems | 36 (31) | 10 (18) | 11 (48) |
| 1.1 (Machine) Data capture device down or unavailable, eg digitizer not working | 2 (2) | 2 | |
| 1.2 (Human) Data input (communication error) | |||
| 1.2.1 Wrong input | 20 (17) | 4 | 9 |
| 1.2.2 Missing data | 7 (6) | 1 | |
| 1.2.3 Fail to update data | 7 (6) | 3 | 2 |
| 1.2.4 Fail to communicate/carry out task | |||
| 2. (Machine) Information transfer problems | 23 (20) | 19 (34) | 3 (13) |
| 2.1 Network down or too slow | 12 (10) | 10 | |
| 2.2 Systems integration problem | 11 (9) | 9 | 3 |
| 3. Information output problems | 23 (20) | 8 (14) | 5 (22) |
| 3.1 (Machine) Output device down or unavailable | 5 (4) | ||
| 3.2 (Machine) Record unavailable | |||
| 3.3 (Machine) Output/display error | 6 (5) | 1 | |
| 3.4 Data retrieval error | |||
| 3.4.1 (Human) Wrong record retrieved | 5 (4) | 2 | 4 |
| 3.4.2 (Human) Missing data (ie, did not look at complete record) | |||
| 3.4.3 (Human) Did not look | 5 (4) | 3 | 1 |
| 3.4.4 (Machine) Not alerted | 2 (2) | 2 | |
| 4. (Machine) General technical | 28 (24) | 17 (30) | 2 (9) |
| 4.1 Computer system down or too slow | 11 (9) | 8 | |
| 4.2 Software not available | 1 (2) | ||
| 4.3 Access problem (ie, user unable to login) | 6 (5) | 4 | |
| 4.4 Software issue (ie, system does not allow data entry) | 8 (7) | 5 | 1 |
| 4.5 Data loss | 2 (2) | 1 | |
| 5. (Human) Contributing factors | 7 (6) | 2 (4) | 2 (9) |
| 5.1 Staffing/ training | 2 (2) | 1 | 1 |
| 5.2 Cognitive load | 1 (1) | ||
| 5.2.1 Interruption | |||
| 5.2.2 Multi-tasking | 1 (1) | 1 | 1 |
| 5.3 Fail to carry out duty | |||
| 5.3.1 Fail to log-off | 3 (3) | ||