Opportunistically discovering usability requirements for a clinical handover system

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Clinical Workflow Optimization

Background:

• Clinical handover is a critical hospital process prone to patient safety risks and staff inefficiency.
• Existing software solutions for clinical handover must function effectively in demanding, fast-paced healthcare environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate Usability Design Requirements for clinical handover software.
• To identify key factors influencing the effectiveness of handover processes and software support.

Main Methods:

• A multi-method, triangulated approach was used for usability evaluation.
• Observations of clinical handover were conducted at Auckland City Hospital in two distinct environments during an improvement initiative.

Main Results:

• Usability Design Requirements for handover software were successfully derived from the evaluation.
• The study identified that periods of change in work practice are opportune for system evaluation, even without immediate software implementation.

Conclusions:

• The formulated Usability Design Requirements can inform the development of future clinical handover software systems.
• Engaging staff during periods of change can enhance their participation in process improvement studies.