Efficiency of Clinical Decision Support Systems Improves with Experience

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Medical Practice
• Usability Studies

Background:

• Efficiency is a key determinant of usability in task performance.
• The study investigates task efficiency improvements through prolonged practice in a specific domain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the hypothesis that repeated performance of a task over time leads to increased efficiency.
• To quantify the impact of experience on task completion time in decision-supported medication reviews.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving three expert teams (physician and pharmacist).
• 150 computerized medication reviews were performed across 13 general practices in Amsterdam.
• Data analysis utilized a linear mixed model to assess changes in task time.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in the time required for medication reviews over time was observed (F(31.145) = 14.043, p < .001).
• Average review time decreased from 20.42 minutes (first quartile) to 9.81 minutes (third quartile).

Conclusions:

• Repeatedly performing similar tasks, such as computerized medication reviews, leads to significant improvements in efficiency.
• Increased user experience over time demonstrably reduces the time needed for task completion.