An alert describes a clinical or administrative fact brought to the attention of the users of the clinical systems to be taken into account when shaping diagnostic and therapeutic policy or in dealing with the patient, usually because of a safety risk. Disorders that describe the body’s sensitivity to a substance which results in a specific physiological reaction after being exposed to that substance are referred to as allergies. These are described in a separate information model. Warnings for non-allergic disorders can concern:

• A disorder, condition or diagnosis which can be considered as a contraindication for undergoing a certain type of therapy, such as pregnancy or long QT syndrome;

• Impaired functioning of an organ system (heart failure, impaired liver or kidney function, weakened immune system);

• Risk of spreading certain microorganisms (multi-resistant bacteria, tubercle bacilli, HIV, HBV, Ebola virus);

• Other risks

Purpose

Documenting and entering disorders or conditions that require attention is an important part of medical registration. It concerns the core of patient safety. In the execution of research and treatment, these patient characteristics - which are marked as a warning - constantly have to be taken into account. They provide information that is important for the patient’s condition and the options a healthcare professional has for therapy. Disorders that are registered or transferred as an Alert can also be described as a Problem. The difference is in the fact that the healthcare professional considers the problem as an Alert = warning. In many cases, transfer will be subject to strict privacy rules, as the warning will not always elicit an adequate reaction in the informed environment.

Instructions

If there is a contraindication which is also important for medication safety, it should also be registered via MedicationContraIndication.