Abstract
This issue of Ergonomics in Design is not, strictly speaking, a “special issue,” in that we did not commission a guest editor to put together an issue on a specific topic. Instead, we simply combined a number of health care–related articles that had been independently submitted.
As most readers probably know, health care has become a particularly important area for the application of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E). Most large medical device companies, many pharmaceutical companies, and an increasing number of hospital systems employ HF/E professionals. In the case of medical devices, as those working in the industry are all too aware, applying human factors to the product development process is a legal requirement in the United States and required in most of the rest of the world by medical device standards.
The prominence of HF/E in the health care area makes sense in that it is one area, like aviation and military systems, where getting usability right can be a matter of life and death. An external defibrillator that takes too long to employ, or a surgical system that is difficult to use properly, or an infusion pump that is prone to errors with drug dosages can lead to disastrous outcomes. Thus, we are pleased to provide some contributions that those working in the health care area may find useful.
At the same time, the criticality of HF/E to health care means that methodologies are being refined in that domain that can then be applied to less critical areas, such as consumer product design. For example, Anne McLaughlin and colleagues describe the development of checklists for medical procedures. Checklists have, of course, proven effective in aviation. They are being increasingly used for medical procedures. McLaughlin et al. provide a blueprint for developing and evaluating checklists that is potentially applicable to other domains where procedural accuracy is important – such as manufacturing, shipping, or vehicle repair.
The prominence of HF/E in the health care area makes sense in that it is one area, like aviation and military systems, where getting usability right can be a matter of life and death.
Likewise, Julie Mhlaba et al. provide an overview of considerations associated with conducting observational research in the operating room (OR). Although their advice is specific to the OR, which is a very unique environment, their larger point has wide application – that, to be effective, an observational researcher has to arrive already highly familiar with what he or she will observe: people, tasks, procedures, the environment, tools, risks, and so on. One way to think of this is that the observer has to record what unfolds in terms of the categorical structure of what is to be observed, for example, “ligation of the superior mesentery vein by the surgical assistant using a Harmonic ACE” versus “cutting and sealing a blood vessel.”
Rupa Valdez and Richard Holden also offer advice for conducting observational research – advice for research in home environments – which pose very different challenges from those posed by clinical environments. The care and sensitivity these authors recommend when going into people’s homes apply to any in-home observational research. I can add that in my own work in product development, I have found that there are many things one can discover only by observing people at home, particularly given, in my experience, that what people claim to do at home tends to differ dramatically from what they actually do at home. However, observing people in their “natural environments” is far from simple and poses a number of special challenges, as Valdez and Holden discuss.
Finally, Shanqing Yin et al. describe the redesign of a relatively simple medical product, a tray table that attaches to the trolley beds used in emergency rooms. They illustrate how a focus on real-world use – direct real-world observation and simulated use in the real environment of use – can help the product developer identify and solve practical problems.
I hope those who work in health care, as well as those who work in other areas, find the issue helpful. As always, we welcome your feedback.
