Human factors methods for designing safe health information technology: what do the experts think?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Health Information Technology (HIT) design requires robust Human Factors (HF) methods for safety and usability.
• Limited research exists on the application of HF methods in HIT design and redesign.
• Understanding expert recommendations is crucial for advancing HIT development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key HF and safety analysis methods used or recommended by HF experts.
• To explore methods applicable to the design, redesign, and configuration of HIT.
• To bridge the gap between HF practices and HIT development.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 HF experts from both healthcare and non-healthcare industries.
• Collected data on methods applied and recommended for HIT design and configuration.
• Analyzed expert insights on method selection and flexible application.

Main Results:

• Experts reported 47 HF methods across 11 categories.
• Non-healthcare experts offered broader insights into Human Error Identification, Risk Assessment, and Workload Assessment methods.
• Both groups emphasized flexible method application and shared selection approaches.

Conclusions:

• There is a need to enhance HF capabilities among HIT system designers through targeted training.
• Learning from HF practices in safety-critical non-healthcare industries can benefit HIT development.
• Further integration of safety-focused HF methods into HIT design workflows is essential.