Quality of human-computer interaction - results of a national usability survey of hospital-IT in Germany

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Due to the increasing functionality of medical information systems, it is hard to imagine day to day work in hospitals without IT support. Therefore, the design of dialogues between humans and information systems is one of the most important issues to be addressed in health care. This survey presents an analysis of the current quality level of human-computer interaction of healthcare-IT in German hospitals, focused on the users' point of view.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To evaluate the usability of clinical-IT according to the design principles of EN ISO 9241-10 the IsoMetrics Inventory, an assessment tool, was used. The focus of this paper has been put on suitability for task, training effort and conformity with user expectations, differentiated by information systems. Effectiveness has been evaluated with the focus on interoperability and functionality of different IT systems.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>4521 persons from 371 hospitals visited the start page of the study, while 1003 persons from 158 hospitals completed the questionnaire. The results show relevant variations between different information systems.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Specialised information systems with defined functionality received better assessments than clinical information systems in general. This could be attributed to the improved customisation of these specialised systems for specific working environments. The results can be used as reference data for evaluation and benchmarking of human computer engineering in clinical health IT context for future studies.</p

Palliative Care for Severely Affected Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: When and Why? Results of a Delphi Survey of Health Care Professionals

Background: Patients severely affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) present with complex symptoms and needs requiring an interdisciplinary care approach. Objective: Analysis of when and why specialized palliative care integration would be beneficial via examining health care professionals' attitudes. Design: A two-round online Delphi study and expert workshop were undertaken and analyzed descriptively. Setting/Subjects: Following an extensive online search, 164 professionals with expertise in treating and caring for severely affected patients with MS were contacted. Professionals included neurologists, urologists, general practitioners, MS nurses, speech therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, and palliative care physicians. Forty-six consented to participate: 33 of 46 (71.4%) and 15 of 33 (45.5%) experts responded in the first and second round, respectively. Results: Consensus was reached among all respondents (100%) defining the term “severely affected”: 78.8% and 86.7%, respectively, thought that specialized palliative care should begin once the disease has progressed (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS]>6 and nursing care required). When the need exists for communication about disease progression (93.3%), psychological support (93.3%), relatives support (93.3%), and pain medication (86.7%) specialized palliative care should be consulted. Specialized palliative homecare was rated (93.3%) “very important.” The workshop documented the paucity of home visits and specialized MS care in nursing homes. Conclusions: Our results clearly identified specific areas in which palliative care will likely prove to be a valuable asset in the treatment course of MS. This information should serve clinicians, indicating when to consider palliative care services and help further reduce or eliminate uncertainty about how palliative care can be integrated in the course of MS