Development and evaluation of a clinical dashboard for nephrology inpatients: a pilot study

Kidney disease imposes a significant burden on healthcare systems due to high complications, mortality, and costs. Effective management requires regular monitoring, which electronic information systems can support. Clinical dashboards visualize critical data and key performance indicators (KPIs) in real-time to aid decision-making. This study aimed to design, develop, and evaluate a clinical dashboard for inpatient nephrology care in Iran.

This multi-phase developmental study (2022-2023) was conducted in the Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation Department at Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia. A two-stage Delphi process with 25 nephrologists identified KPIs. Conceptual and logical models were designed, followed by dashboard development using Laravel, MySQL, and Android Studio (with barcode integration). Usability was evaluated by 10 experts using a Nielsen-based questionnaire, and system success was assessed by 40 clinical staff after a three-month pilot using the DeLone & McLean model.

The Delphi yielded 58 KPIs categorized into demographic, medical history, clinical/laboratory, and discharge groups. The highest consensus was on electrolytes (4.88 ± 0.33) and vital signs/blood pressure. Usability evaluation showed acceptable scores in most Nielsen principles (e.g., high in visibility and aesthetic design), though orientation was lower and subsequently improved. End-user evaluation indicated high system quality, information quality, user satisfaction, and perceived net benefits.

The dashboard demonstrated acceptable usability and success in a pilot setting, with clear visualizations, barcode-enabled bedside access, and categorized KPIs, providing a platform with the potential to support real-time monitoring and clinical decision-making in nephrology.