Trainee Occupational Therapists Scoring the Barthel ADL.

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Healthcare information is transitioning from paper to digital formats.
• Paper-based Activity of Daily Living (ADL) charts, like the Barthel Index, are susceptible to human error.
• Digital solutions are needed to improve accuracy and efficiency in healthcare data collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability of a paper-based Barthel Index ADL.
• To develop and assess a digital version of the Barthel Index ADL.
• To compare human error rates between paper and digital ADL formats.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 26 participants familiar with ADL charts.
• Participants completed three scenarios using both paper and digital Barthel Index ADLs.
• Evaluation focused on identifying human errors and comparing user experience.

Main Results:

• 22 out of 26 participants found the digital ADL to be equal or superior to the paper version.
• Participants highlighted the digital ADL's ease of use and automatic score calculation.
• The digital Barthel Index demonstrated a 100% correction rate in calculations, unlike the paper version prone to mathematical errors.

Conclusions:

• Digital Barthel Index ADLs are superior to traditional paper-based methods for minimizing handwriting and calculation errors.
• The digital format enhances usability and accuracy in ADL assessments.
• Implementing digital ADL solutions can improve the reliability of healthcare data.