Applying Human Factors Principles to Mitigate Usability Issues Related to Embedded Assumptions in Health Information...

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Health Informatics
• Usability Engineering

Background:

• Health Information Technology (HIT) design flaws contribute to usability issues and patient harm.
• These issues disproportionately affect non-typical users, exacerbating health care disparities.
• Embedded cultural assumptions in HIT design can reduce system usability and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explain HIT universal design principles to address usability and patient safety concerns.
• To overcome issues arising from unrecognized embedded cultural assumptions in HIT design.
• To mitigate health care disparities linked to HIT utilization.

Main Methods:

• Expert review of existing best practices, guidance, and standards in software usability and accessibility.
• A 5-step review process to identify relevant strategies for addressing embedded design assumptions.
• An iterative, consensus-based approach to derive evidence-based design principles.

Main Results:

• Existing literature contains design principles that can identify and address embedded HIT design assumptions.
• These principles offer a framework for improving HIT usability and safety.
• The findings highlight the availability of actionable solutions in current research.

Conclusions:

• Evidence-based HIT design principles can mitigate usability and patient safety concerns.
• Addressing embedded cultural assumptions in HIT is crucial for reducing health care disparities.
• Human factors and informatics literature provide the foundation for developing equitable HIT systems.