The Pathology and Genetics Laboratory Department at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) succeeded in linking Salama, the unified electronic medical record system, with its laboratory information system and blood banks at the DHA.
Dr Farida Al Khaja, CEO of DHA’s Clinical Support Services and Nursing Sector stressed the importance of this achievement, as it will help to make the blood transfusion process safer.
She said that linking the two systems will ensure that the information of the patient matches his blood unit ensuring a safe and accurate blood transfusion process.
“We all know how important blood transfusions are in saving the lives of people who suffer from various diseases such as thalassemia and cancer or victims of accidents. . By implementing this integration, we are eliminating enhancing patient safety,” she said.
Due to the authority’s keenness to ensure a safe work environment for both employees and patients, Dr Al Khaja added that the authority integrated the systems and adopted artificial intelligence to ensure accuracy and add an extra layer of safety.
“Salama will match the patient’s data with the patient’s own information in the laboratory information system as well as blood unit details. Once the electronic match is made, a specialised nurse will start the transfusion process. However , if the system detects that the blood unit does not match the patient’s blood type/details it will notify the nurse to not go ahead with the process,” she said.
Dr Al Khaja concluded by thanking all the teams involved in this achievement including the laboratory Information unit, the Salama team, employees working at the blood banks in Dubai, Rashid, Latifa and Hatta Hospitals and the Dubai Blood Donation Centre.
