Reducing wrong patient selection errors: exploring the design space of user interface techniques

AMIA Annu Symp Proc. 2014 Nov 14:2014:1056-65. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Wrong patient selection errors are a major issue for patient safety; from ordering medication to performing surgery, the stakes are high. Widespread adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) systems makes patient selection using a computer screen a frequent task for clinicians. Careful design of the user interface can help mitigate the problem by helping providers recall their patients' identities, accurately select their names, and spot errors before orders are submitted. We propose a catalog of twenty seven distinct user interface techniques, organized according to a task analysis. An associated video demonstrates eighteen of those techniques. EHR designers who consider a wider range of human-computer interaction techniques could reduce selection errors, but verification of efficacy is still needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Checklist
  • Electronic Health Records*
  • Humans
  • Medical Errors / prevention & control*
  • Medical Order Entry Systems*
  • Patient Safety
  • User-Computer Interface*