Towards Evidence Based Usability in Health Informatics?

Area of Science:

• Health Information Technology (HIT) Usability Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in Healthcare
• Evidence-Based Design Principles

Background:

• Usability is a critical issue in the Health Information Technology (HIT) regulatory context.
• There is a growing demand for evidence-based usability practices in HIT.
• A clear definition and methodology for evidence-based usability practice are currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the necessity of evidence-based design for HIT.
• To define evidence-based usability practice in the context of health interactive systems.
• To identify barriers and propose steps for achieving evidence-based usability practice.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of evidence-based usability practice in HIT.
• Definition formulation based on usability engineering and design principles.
• Identification of challenges and recommendations for implementation.

Main Results:

• Proposed definition: Evidence-based usability practice involves conscientiously using best evidence in designing health interactive systems.
• Application of proven usability engineering and design principles is key.
• Current issues hindering practice were identified, alongside actionable steps for improvement.

Conclusions:

• Evidence-based usability practice is essential for effective and safe HIT.
• Adopting a structured approach to evidence integration can enhance HIT design.
• Further research and standardization are needed to fully implement evidence-based usability in healthcare.