In healthcare, patient safety is a fundamental priority, and digitalisation is creating a turning point in how it is managed. Today, three key tools stand out as pillars in the identification and mitigation of adverse events: voluntary reporting, risk registers, and Global Trigger Tools (GTT).
In this blog, we explore the specificity and sensitivity of each tool, the transformative role of GTT, and how digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionising their use.
How This Benefits Hospitals and Healthcare Workers?
Implementing digital tools like Global Trigger Tools (GTT) enhanced with AI doesn’t just improve patient safety; it directly supports healthcare workers and streamlines hospital operations. These advancements empower frontline staff by reducing the administrative burden of manual reporting, allowing them to focus on what matters most: patient care. AI-powered systems detect risks in real-time, minimising human error and creating actionable insights that help healthcare teams address issues proactively.
For hospitals, this means a more resilient patient safety culture, faster responses to emerging risks, and enhanced compliance with international standards. The result? Safer environments for patients, more efficient workflows for staff, and an overall improvement in healthcare quality and outcomes. By embracing digitalisation, hospitals and healthcare workers can confidently move toward a future of smarter, safer care.
The Triad in Action: Voluntary Reporting, Risk Register, and GTT
Voluntary Reporting: A Frontline Perspective
Specificity: Highly specific since reported events often have a direct impact on care.
Sensitivity: Limited, as it relies on staff willingness to report, leaving some incidents undetected.
Risk Register: Mapping Potential Hazards
Specificity: Moderate, focusing on risks identified during audits and analyses.
Sensitivity: High for structural or systemic issues but may be less reactive to isolated events.
Global Trigger Tools: Detecting the Invisible
Specificity and Sensitivity: Combines the best of both worlds by identifying specific "triggers" that alert to potential adverse events, even those not voluntarily reported.
Why Are GTT the Future?
GTT doesn’t rely on human memory or perception but on objective, data-driven analyses. It detects patterns, identifies areas for improvement, and provides insights that other tools might overlook.
The Technological Revolution: Digitalisation and AI Automation
Digitalising forms and incorporating AI are taking GTT to the next level:
Smart Digital Forms: Capture data more precisely and consistently, reducing human error.
AI in GTT: Processes large volumes of data in real-time, detecting triggers faster and more accurately. This not only accelerates the detection of adverse events but also optimises the organisational learning process.
Key Benefits:
Earlier risk detection.
Increased sensitivity and specificity in identifying events.
Faster and more effective corrective actions.
Conclusion
Digitalisation is not only modernising adverse event management but also transforming how we understand and prevent risks in healthcare. Adopting tools like GTT and enhancing them with AI is a crucial step toward safer and more efficient care.
Discover how this technology improves adverse event management.