Factoring in human factors

This article in Crain's Detroit Business (originally from Modern Healthcare) notes:Recent studies have found that rapid implementation of new medical technology — electronic health records, patient monitoring devices, surgical robots and other tools — can lead to adverse patient events when it is not thoughtfully integrated into workflow. The right processes require understanding the devices and the users. Testing in controlled environments often does not adequately consider the “human factor,” or how people interact with technology in high-pressure, real-life situations.From 2011 to 2013, human-factor issues were the most frequently identified root causes of “never-events,” such as medication errors and treatment delays, according to a Joint Commission report. “It’s the interface of the human with the technology that creates a problem,” said Ana Pujols-McKee, M.D., the commission’s chief medical officer.Rosemary Gibson explains:“We have a cascade of gadgets and equipment that’s just raining down on the health care system.” Productivity demands are forcing physicians, nurses and other clinical staff to work faster, and when that directive is coupled with new devices and equipment, “even the most competent people in the world can’t do that safely."In a private conversation, a colleague who had been involved in the National Transportation Safety Board was shown the article and was asked, "How does aviation handle new stuff in the coc...
Source: Running a hospital - Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs