Adverse events

Definition

An adverse event in the medical sense refers to when medical management causes harm to a patient, as opposed to harm inflicted by an underlying disease. Adverse events, also known as AEs, can cause a disability, prolonged hospitalization, and sometimes even death. They are also referred to as undesirable events, errors, or mistakes. However, adverse events are not always caused by an error in medical management. AEs may also occur due to appropriate actions which have "adverse effects" (i.e. complications) that were either unknown at the time the action was taken, or they were known and expected but could not be prevented (e.g., adverse drug reactions, etc.).

Types of adverse events

• Preventable - harm caused by a human or system error
• Unpreventable - harm caused by an unforeseeable circumstance
• Potential - harm caused by hospital induced factors, like an infection

They also have different severity levels. They can range from a mild complication, like an allergic reaction, to a serious adverse event, like an amputated limb.

Poor communication increases adverse events

Adverse events are a complicated topic, and preventing them is even more complex. One common cause is communication difficulties among medical providers both externally and within their own network. According to various medical studies, poor communication increases errors up to 67%. Improving communication between doctors and patients helps reduce and prevent AEs. Deploying a HIPAA compliant email strategy is an effective way to increase information exchange and make communication more efficient.

Using HIPAA compliant email marketing to reduce adverse events

Paubox Marketing is a simple solution which allows healthcare providers to stay in touch with their entire patient base while ensuring their email messages remain safely HIPAA compliant. Paubox Marketing allows you to communicate en masse with patients as well as other medical providers. You are able to send personalized email marketing which includes protected health information ( PHI) directly to your recipients' email boxes without relying on portals or passwords.

SEE ALSO: Why Paubox Marketing is the Best HIPAA Email Marketing Solution Available

You have the power to decrease the number of adverse events affecting your patients by using Paubox Marketing to educate other healthcare professionals, provide email updates to patients, and help everyone stay well informed at all stages of the patient journey.

With Paubox Marketing you can:

• Provide continued education in areas where AEs are common
• Reinforce best practices for AE-risky procedures
• Share and encourage competency programs or classes to further train staff
• Communicate faster and more efficiently with other healthcare providers
• Emphasize the importance of including all PHI during patient transfers
• Create and maintain a transparent and supportive company culture

All of these goals are supported and maintained longterm by writing an effective healthcare email newsletter . By strengthening your communication overall, you will improve patient outcomes and prevent future adverse events.

Adverse events and COVID-19

The current coronavirus pandemic has the potential to cause adverse events. Exhausted staff, overcrowded medical facilities, and contaminated COVID-19 areas all contribute to the possibility of new AEs. With Paubox Marketing, you can keep your staff informed of COVID-19 best practices and social distancing standards. Well-crafted emails create a strong foundation to keep your staff in the loop. Healthcare professionals are also working diligently to protect their patients from coronavirus. Educating your audience and promoting  patient activation can be achieved through HIPAA compliant marketing solutions, like Paubox Marketing.