User Perceptions of an Electronic Maternal Alerting System.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Medical Informatics
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Electronic maternal early warning systems (MEWS) are increasingly used to monitor pregnant patients.
• Automated paging features in MEWS aim to improve timely intervention.
• Understanding user experience, including alarm fatigue and perceived impact on patient care, is crucial for system optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate healthcare providers' user experience with an automated MEWS.
• To assess the system's perceived effect on patient care, alarm fatigue, and likelihood of continued use.

Main Methods:

• A survey study was conducted among healthcare providers.
• The survey assessed perceptions of patient care impact, alarm frequency, and system usability.
• Response rate was 47.7% (273/572).

Main Results:

• 83% of respondents supported the continued use of the MEWS.
• 64.5% believed the system improved patient safety.
• 51.4% of those who received pages felt they occurred too frequently, indicating potential alarm fatigue.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare providers generally support the continued use of the automated MEWS.
• The system is perceived to enhance patient safety, though frequent paging requires further investigation.
• Further evaluation of alarm fatigue is warranted to optimize system performance and user satisfaction.