Can We Trust the Computer?
The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men,
but those men will begin to think like computers….
Perception:
The present global age is the consequence of the computer age that affected every aspect of our day-to-day life. Since they were invented in 1948 they have became necessary in our existence. Computers now a day’s became extra ordinary that plays a significant role in our way of working, communicating, playing and also writing.
Using computers offers many pros firstly, owning to computers we can keep accounts, write personal letters and do our homework. It is much easier and more aesthetic to write something in computer and print it than type or pen. Also, computer can be useful in office. When you use it you have less paperwork and mess. Then your work is more efficiency and organized.In medicine aspects, computer’s helpful in medical diagnosis, patient monitoring and general hospital administration.
On the other hand using computers has several disadvantages. They are bad for health like an instance;screens destroy eyes even with a low radiation screen. Many people complain for that issue, because then they have to pay for oculists and wear glasses. Also there are a lot of viruses which can influence a computer and destroy the data bank. It is a problem for banks and big concerns which store many of information inside their computers.
On the other hand using computers has several disadvantages. They are bad for health like an instance;screens destroy eyes even with a low radiation screen. Many people complain for that issue, because then they have to pay for oculists and wear glasses. Also there are a lot of viruses which can influence a computer and destroy the data bank. It is a problem for banks and big concerns which store many of information inside their computers.
MEDICAL ASPECTS:
Advantages of computer-based medical records
Adapted from Panel 1 of:
Powsner SM, Wyatt JC, Wright P. Opportunities for and challenges of computerization.
1. Simultaneous, remote access to patient data
Multiple clinicians can access a patient's record simultaneously from many locations. With the recent advent of secure data transmission over the web, clinicians can now review and edit patient records from anywhere in the world.
Multiple clinicians can access a patient's record simultaneously from many locations. With the recent advent of secure data transmission over the web, clinicians can now review and edit patient records from anywhere in the world.
2. Legibility of record
Handwritten charts are notoriously difficult to read. On-screen or printed text is often far more legible than handwriting.
Handwritten charts are notoriously difficult to read. On-screen or printed text is often far more legible than handwriting.
3. Safer data
New users often fret over the potential for lost data due to system malfunctions. With a well designed and tested backup scheme and disaster recovery system, a computer-based record is much more reliable and less prone to data loss than conventional paper-based records.
New users often fret over the potential for lost data due to system malfunctions. With a well designed and tested backup scheme and disaster recovery system, a computer-based record is much more reliable and less prone to data loss than conventional paper-based records.
4. Patient data confidentiality
Record access can be restricted and monitored automatically; each user can have specific levels of access to various data types. Audit logs can be screened electronically to look for statistical abnormalities which may signal unauthorized record accesses.
Record access can be restricted and monitored automatically; each user can have specific levels of access to various data types. Audit logs can be screened electronically to look for statistical abnormalities which may signal unauthorized record accesses.
5. Flexible data layout
Users can have a separate data display and data entry screen, recall data in any order (e.g., chronologically or in reverse chronological order), and create disease or condition specific data review formats. Paper records suffer from temporal constraints in the sense that data are fixed in the exact sequence in which they were recorded.
6. Integration with other information resources
Once in electronic form a patient's data can be linked to reference information stored and maintained locally or, via the internet, on a computer half-way around the world.
Once in electronic form a patient's data can be linked to reference information stored and maintained locally or, via the internet, on a computer half-way around the world.
7. Incorporation of electronic data
Physiologic data can be captured automatically from bedside monitors, laboratory analyzers, and imaging devices located throughout the healthcare enterprise. Such data capture is free from the uncertainties and unreliabilities of human data entry efforts.
Physiologic data can be captured automatically from bedside monitors, laboratory analyzers, and imaging devices located throughout the healthcare enterprise. Such data capture is free from the uncertainties and unreliabilities of human data entry efforts.
8. Continuous data processing
Provided that data are structured and coded in an unambiguous fashion, programs can continuously check and filter the data for errors, summarize and interpret data, and issue alerts and/or reminders to clinicians following the detection of potentially life-threatening events.
Provided that data are structured and coded in an unambiguous fashion, programs can continuously check and filter the data for errors, summarize and interpret data, and issue alerts and/or reminders to clinicians following the detection of potentially life-threatening events.
9. Assisted search
In a small fraction of the time required using a manual system, computers can search free-text (or as Octo Barnett terms it "expensive text") as well as structured data to find a specific data value or to determine whether a particular item has ever been recorded. However, unstructured text must be searched with care since clinicians use many different words and phrases to express the same clinical concept.
In a small fraction of the time required using a manual system, computers can search free-text (or as Octo Barnett terms it "expensive text") as well as structured data to find a specific data value or to determine whether a particular item has ever been recorded. However, unstructured text must be searched with care since clinicians use many different words and phrases to express the same clinical concept.
10. Greater range of data output modalities
Data can be presented to users via computer-generated voice, two-way pagers, or email, for example. In addition, instructions can be sent to external, computer-controlled devices like automatic pill dispensers, or infusion pumps which will then carry out the clinician's intended action. Patient-specific alarms can flash lights, ring bells, or buzz buzzers. Finally, multiple single plane images can be transformed back into a single 3-dimensional image and superimposed on the surgeon's field of view.
Data can be presented to users via computer-generated voice, two-way pagers, or email, for example. In addition, instructions can be sent to external, computer-controlled devices like automatic pill dispensers, or infusion pumps which will then carry out the clinician's intended action. Patient-specific alarms can flash lights, ring bells, or buzz buzzers. Finally, multiple single plane images can be transformed back into a single 3-dimensional image and superimposed on the surgeon's field of view.
11. Tailored paper output
Data can be printed using a variety of fonts, colors, and sizes to help focus the clinician's attention on the most important data. In addition, images can be combined with textual data to create a more complete "picture" of the patient's condition.
Data can be printed using a variety of fonts, colors, and sizes to help focus the clinician's attention on the most important data. In addition, images can be combined with textual data to create a more complete "picture" of the patient's condition.
12. Always up to date
If the electronic record is integrated, then all data is immediately available to all practitioners regardless of their physical location as soon as the data is entered into the computer. This eliminates the problems associated with several physicians, each keeping a small portion of a patient's medical record in their offices and transferring these paper-based records back and forth as they consult.
If the electronic record is integrated, then all data is immediately available to all practitioners regardless of their physical location as soon as the data is entered into the computer. This eliminates the problems associated with several physicians, each keeping a small portion of a patient's medical record in their offices and transferring these paper-based records back and forth as they consult.
The Therac-25
(Automated Medication)
A radiation therapy machine produced by Automatic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL)
- Therac-25 Radiation Overdoses
A software-controlled radiation therapy machine used to treat people with cancer. Machines at 4 medical centers gave massive overdoses of radiation to 6 patients. Problems: lapses in good safety design, insufficient testing, bugs in software that controlled machines, inadequate system of reporting and investigating accidents.
- Software and Design Problems
Design flaws—designed to be fully computer-controlled. Many safety features eliminated in design. Software assumed to be functioning correctly. Wrong. Frequent shutdowns and blown fuses. Malfunctioned frequently. Weaknesses in design of operator interface. Error messages numbers or obscure messages. Had to look up. Very little documentation produced.
Bugs. Could trace some overdoses to two specific software errors. Set-Up Test checked to see that machine was positioned correctly, if not, tried again and rechecked. When flag was zero, indicated ready. When checking it increased variable. Flag variable was stored in one byte, when routing was called 256th time, flag overflowed and showed zero.
An operator may modify input if necessary. A set of bugs allowed machine to ignore changes or corrections made by operator at console. No consistency checks in program.
- Why So Many Incidents?
Therac-25 was not pulled for service after first few accidents because it was not known the cause of the injuries. Staff had not seen massive radiation overdose before. Manufacturer said injuries could not have been caused by machine. Hospitals had to consider costs of removing expensive machine from service, the uncertainty if machine was cause of injuries, manuf’s assurances that problem had been solved.
- Overconfidence
Thought it was impossible for machine to overdose. Overconfidence in software was decision to eliminate hardware safety mechanisms. Ignored error messages.
- Conclusion and Perspective
Manufacturer did poor job from decisions to responding to overdose accidents. Imp to follow good procedures in software development; consequences of carelessness, cutting corners, unprofessional work, attempts to avoid responsibility. Bug may show up only in unusual circumstances. Imp of individual initiative and responsibility.
Failures and other accidents have always occurred and continue to occur in systems that do not use computers.
Individual and management responsibility, good training, and accountability are more important factors than whether or not a computer is used.
Reference:
http://www.ncat.edu/~testa/COMP390/chapters/Chapter4.htm
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-of-computers.html
