Anaesthesiologists' views on the need for point-of-care information system in the operating room: a survey of the European Society of Anaesthesiologists.
OBJECTIVE
In this preliminary study we wanted to explore the attitudes of anaesthesiologists to a point-of-care information system in the operating room. The study was conducted as a preliminary step in the process of developing such a system by the European Society of Anaesthesiologists (ESA).


METHODS
A questionnaire was distributed to all 2240 attendees of the ESA's annual meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, which took place in April 2001.


RESULTS
Of the 329 responders (response rate of 14.6%), 79% were qualified specialists with more than 10 yr of experience (68%), mostly from Western Europe. Most responders admitted to regularly experiencing lack of medical knowledge relating to real-time patient care at least once a month (74%) or at least once a week (46%), and 39% admitted to having made errors during anaesthesia due to lack of medical information that can be otherwise found in a handbook. The choice ofa less optimal but more familiar approach to patient management due to lack of knowledge was reported by 37%. Eighty-eight percent of responders believe that having a point-of-care information system for the anaesthesiologists in the operating room is either important or very important.


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary survey demonstrates that lack of knowledge of anaesthesiologists may be a significant source of medical errors in the operating room, and suggests that a point-of-care information system for the anaesthesiologist may be of value.
Perel
A
A
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Tel Aviv University, Sheba Medical Centre, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Berkenstadt
H
H
Ziv
A
A
Katzenelson
R
R
Aitkenhead
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009870:Operating Room Information Systems; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000592:standards; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires