As technology advances, CDSS has the potential to transform healthcare in India and beyond
Due to the individual nature of each patient, every decision that the doctor makes is unique. With the medical sector evolving by leaps and bounds, doctors today are searching for innovative approaches to give their patients the best possible treatment. Moreover, with the expanding corpus of scientific research and medical knowledge, doctors must keep themselves up to date with the latest information.
Hence, when physicians find themselves dealing with increasingly complex cases, they need the latest data to make optimal choices. This is where the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) comes to aid. CDSS are tools for information management and represent a major paradigm shift in the healthcare sector. By augmenting medical judgments with specific clinical knowledge, patient information, and other health information, CDSS aims to enhance the delivery of healthcare.
How it works
CDSS tools allow patient-specific assessments and present evidence-based recommendations to the clinician for a decision, thereby aiding optimal clinical decision-making. The CDSS can act as a virtual tool that gives healthcare professionals access to the latest developments in the medical sector. At the point of care, doctors can access the most recent and pertinent medical information using such systems. Moreover, the scalability of such systems can also potentially boost universal health access.
Even when the information is ambiguous, CDSS systems can promote confidence and clarity in decision-making and support personalized care. CDSS systems can also improve patient outcomes as studies have revealed that 37% of the time professionals have altered their clinical decisions after reviewing data on these tools.
Reducing errors
The top 10 global causes of mortality and disability are adverse outcomes resulting from subpar treatment, and 80% of the harm is avoidable. In India, close to 5.2 million medical blunders occur each year. The most frequent causes of these are improper medications or doses and incomplete prescriptions. These avoidable negative consequences reduce patient satisfaction and faith in the healthcare system.
Medical errors can occur due to a range of circumstances, including poor communication, insufficient training, and incorrect decision-making. CDSS technologies can decrease the possibility of medical errors by incorporating the most recent findings in medical science and clinical recommendations into the platform.
CDSS is quickly changing the healthcare landscape in India. With a rapidly ageing population, a rising illness burden, and a lack of healthcare professionals, CDSS can aid in bridging the gap between demand and supply. It can also enhance the standard of treatment and lessen the strain on healthcare providers by giving clinicians access to the latest advances in medical science. Moreover, with the availability of CDSS tools as mobile applications, doctors can access evidence-based medicine on their handheld devices. Such tools can particularly be useful in rural and distant places, where a scarcity of experts and restricted access may affect the delivery of care.
As technology advances, CDSS has the potential to transform healthcare in India and beyond. Every medical school must include an evidence-based CDSS as one of its certification requirements to introduce clinicians to the most recent research. Additionally, mandating CDSS as a component of continuing education would advance healthcare equity and ensure that every patient has access to high-quality treatment.
(This article is authored by Sanjay Gwalani, COO of Aadicura Superspecialist Hospital)
