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Updated: May 29, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
A diabetes dashboard and physician efficiency and accuracy in accessing data needed for high-quality diabetes care
Richelle J Koopman1, Karl M Kochendorfer, Joi L Moore
1Curtis W. and Ann H. Long Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri, School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri 65212, USA. koopmanr@health.missouri.edu
Purpose:
We compared use of a new diabetes dashboard screen with use of a conventional approach of viewing multiple electronic health record (EHR) screens to find data needed for ambulatory diabetes care.
Methods:
We performed a usability study, including a quantitative time study and qualitative analysis of information-seeking behaviors. While being recorded with Morae Recorder software and "think-aloud" interview methods, 10 primary care physicians first searched their EHR for 10 diabetes data elements using a conventional approach for a simulated patient, and then using a new diabetes dashboard for another. We measured time, number of mouse clicks, and accuracy. Two coders analyzed think-aloud and interview data using grounded theory methodology.
Results:
The mean time needed to find all data elements was 5.5 minutes using the conventional approach vs 1.3 minutes using the diabetes dashboard (P <.001). Physicians correctly identified 94% of the data requested using the conventional method, vs 100% with the dashboard (P <.01). The mean number of mouse clicks was 60 for conventional searching vs 3 clicks with the diabetes dashboard (P <.001). A common theme was that in everyday practice, if physicians had to spend too much time searching for data, they would either continue without it or order a test again.
Conclusions:
Using a patient-specific diabetes dashboard improves both the efficiency and accuracy of acquiring data needed for high-quality diabetes care. Usability analysis tools can provide important insights into the value of optimizing physician use of health information technologies.
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