Remote usability testing in healthcare: Evaluating tools and technologies from afar.

Area of Science:

• Human Factors Engineering
• Healthcare System Design
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Poorly designed healthcare products and systems can cause use errors, compromising patient safety.
• Usability testing is a key human factors method for evaluating product ease of use.
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote usability testing due to cost and travel considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application and effectiveness of remote usability testing in healthcare.
• To demonstrate remote usability testing with examples of a web-based reporting system and a clinical cognitive aid.
• To examine the advantages, disadvantages, and optimal use cases for remote usability testing in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Remote usability testing involving participants completing simulated tasks.
• Evaluation of a dynamic web-based patient safety reporting system.
• Assessment of a static clinical cognitive aid.
• Utilizing videoconferencing platforms for remote evaluation.

Main Results:

• Remote usability testing can be effectively applied to diverse healthcare technologies.
• Identified benefits and challenges associated with remote usability testing.
• Provided strategies for successful remote usability evaluations in healthcare settings.

Conclusions:

• Remote usability testing is a viable and valuable method for improving healthcare product and system design.
• The method offers flexibility and cost-effectiveness, expanding the reach of usability evaluations.
• Videoconferencing platforms facilitate successful remote assessment of healthcare tools to enhance patient safety.