The case for end-user involvement in design of health technologies

This paper reports a subset of data from a mixed methods project interviewing community nurses and nurse leaders/managers to explore the views, expectations, practice and attitudes of registered nurses working in the community concerning electronic health records and the use of mobile devices. Nurses displayed excellent understanding of privacy and consent concerning electronic patient records and health information technology (e-health). With targeted, individualised education, nurses use e-health and telehealth effectively. However, significant barriers were found regarding duplication of paper and electronic patient notes and multiple logins for different platforms and systems, resulting in forgotten and shared passwords. There was also evidence of some avoidance of essential systems; lack of infrastructure in some settings; inadequate systems for the use of digital cameras (e.g. tracking wound healing); and inability to access patient notes across settings to ensure integrated care. In conclusion, nurses are the largest group of health practitioners in New Zealand and are at the front line of patient care. Nurses need systems designed around their work methods and a good understanding of e-health in order to be able to use it effectively. Greater consultation with nurses is required to ensure the potential of e-health and its use is maximised.