Human factors in healthcare: welcome progress, but still scratching the surface

Introduction Calls to integrate human factors and ergonomics (HFE) within healthcare and patient safety have become increasingly frequent in the last few years.1 Judging by the number of recent articles in BMJ Quality and Safety that focus on HFE,2–4 we seem to be a step closer to achieving this goal. Within the USA and UK, groups such as the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), the Chartered Institute of Human Factors and Ergonomics (CIEHF) and the Clinical Human Factors Group (CHFG) are also making significant progress in working with clinicians, healthcare managers and patients. Developments such as the UK NHS Concordat on Human Factors and Healthcare5 and increasing interest from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attest to this progress. These are welcome developments; however, there is still some way to go. This editorial aims not to...

Source: BMJ Quality and Safety - June 16, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Waterson, P., Catchpole, K. Tags: Viewpoints Source Type: research