Improving efficiencies and patient safety in healthcare through human factors and ergonomics

Efficiencies and patient safety can be improved through modeling of healthcare systems with consideration of human factors and ergonomics. With focus on predicting individual and system performance, safety and satisfaction can be considered from various perspectives including the clinician, patient, pharmacist and healthcare organization. The basis for predictions are models and hypotheses developed from scientific principles, methods and technology implementation strategies demonstrated, observed and reported through research. This paper provides a brief review and reappraisal of recent articles and book chapters to give some insights into how efficiencies and patient safety can be improved through human factors and ergonomics. Current needs and potential future research are also outlined. Web-resources from the World Health Care Congress, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Administration, Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering (RCHE) and the Institutional Review Board at Purdue, and recent special broadcasts from C-SPAN and PBS support and motivate further research. In considering the new research, it is proposed that a great deal more focus is needed on the process, methods and structuring of research studies, than on the implementations of a particular healthcare practice, technology or model. Students at cross-disciplinary research centers like RCHE at Purdue University are focusing on developing their ability to evaluate research based on the selected course readings and a “List of 10 ways” to look at a research paper systematically for critical analysis. With foundations in human factors and ergonomics it is expected that new potential healthcare systems engineering related research projects can be considered and developed through the semester projects and built upon as extensions that may lead to theses and dissertations. Recent project examples will be discussed. Research issues will be outlined along various health systems issues as follows: Modeling Systems and Economic Aspects, Healthcare Information Technologies, Electronic Prescribing and Computerized Physician Order Entry Systems, Cognitive Aspects and Human–Computer Interaction, Healthcare Work Analysis & Design, International and Cultural Issues, Human Factors, Ergonomics and Patient Safety, Technology Adoption, Data Collection and Analysis.