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Towards a Usability and Error "Safety Net": A Multi-Phased Multi-Method Approach to Ensuring System Usability and
Andre Kushniruk1, Yalini Senathirajah2, Elizabeth Borycki1
1School of Health Information Science, University of Victoria, Canada.
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
|January 4, 2018
Summary
This study introduces a multi-phase approach to test healthcare IT usability and safety. Integrating usability engineering into system testing creates a safety net to prevent errors before widespread deployment.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Usability and safety of health information systems (HIS) are critical for effective healthcare IT.
- Ensuring the reliability of healthcare IT is paramount before widespread adoption in clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel, multi-phased, multi-method strategy for integrating usability engineering into healthcare IT system testing.
- To ensure both the usability and safety of healthcare IT systems prior to their broad implementation.
Main Methods:
- A phased approach combining usability testing with in-situ clinical simulation.
- Incorporation of near-live recording of user interactions to identify system issues.
- Iterative identification and rectification of usability problems throughout the testing process.
Main Results:
- The integrated approach effectively identifies and resolves usability and technology-induced errors.
- A 'safety net' is established to mitigate risks associated with system deployment.
- The methodology ensures that systems are robust and user-friendly before clinical use.
Conclusions:
- Integrating usability engineering methods into system testing is essential for safe and effective healthcare IT.
- The described multi-phase approach provides a comprehensive framework for validating HIS usability and safety.
- This strategy helps prevent potential patient harm and improves the overall quality of healthcare technology.