…HFE practitioners need to recognize that their value in ensuring patient safety will not be fully realized until they consider providing design solutions with scientific rigour, rather than simply evaluating and identifying issues.

Additional outlooks can be found in the published article.

An article summarizing the guidelines development process and its outcomes has been published in the March issue of the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Journal of Oncology Practice.

More than 10 years ago, the teaching hospitals of the University Health Network (Toronto, Canada) recognized that technology challenges extended beyond the mere reliability of IT systems and medical equipment. As one of the largest health technology purchasers in Canada, the Health Network recognized that technology adoption and user-error was closely tied to the design of technology and human factors. Despite systems and equipment that worked precisely as the vendors had specified and built, systems were difficult to use for hospital staff and in some instances were contributing to adverse events.

[...]

A team of 12 human-factors (HF) and biomedical engineers, and cognitive psychologists (supported by eight graduate students) conducts design and evaluation projects and original research for public and private entities, including hospitals, policy makers, government agencies and technology vendors and manufacturers.

Specific efforts include: (1) assisting companies in the design (or redesign) of their products; (2) assisting hospitals in procurement decisions using usability testing methods; (3) original research in the use of human factors; (4) HF101 for Healthcare: Open, monthly half-day sessions on the fundamentals of human factors in healthcare aimed at the healthcare provider (over 500 hospital staff clinicians have participated in these classes); (5) Informing policy makers.

For further insight about the Usability Model and to read more of our story, download the full pdf (we’re mentioned on page 42).

Anthony Mei, the Swiss-army knife developer of our team, was our representative at the event. He jumped right into a group of strangers tackling HIV in Saskatoon, and after a weekend of hard work and collaboration, he wrote about his experience. Read all of Anthony’s insights here.

If you’d like to see Hacking Health come to Toronto, tweet to @hackinghealthca with the hash tag #HackingHealthTO or send them a message at http://hackinghealth.ca/#contact/en.

The evaluation will take place between February 13th and February 27th within our facilities at Toronto General Hospital. Participants will be required to attend a 2-hour training session and a 2-hour testing session to evaluate the device. Participants will be asked to perform everyday tasks, such as programming the device. All tasks are simulated and therefore no medication will be used. You will be compensated for participating in the evaluation of the device.

If interested, please contact Stefanie at stefanie.kischak@uhn.ca or 416-340-4800 x2353

The evaluation will be held between January 23rd and February 3rd at our facilities at the Toronto General Hospital. Participants will be asked to attend a 2-hour training session, and an additional 1.5-hour session to evaluate the device. Participants will be asked to perform everyday tasks with the device such as programming. All tasks are simulated and therefore no medication will be used. You will be compensated $300 for participating in the evaluation.

If interested, contact Svetlena at svetlena@humanfactors.ca or 416-340-4800 x8530

“Created by the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation at Toronto’s University Health Network, [bant] is intended to be used by Type-1 diabetics, who should check and log their blood glucose levels four times throughout the day. Bant users prick themselves with small electronic devices called glucometers, which then communicate wirelessly with the Bant software so it can flag troubling blood sugar trends that may indicate users need to adjust an upcoming insulin dose. Intended for teens who can be apt to forget their testing, Bant was credited with users conducting about 50% more monitoring in a clinical trial — possibly because participating teens who logged their tests were rewarded with credits at the iTunes store.”

The full article can be read here: http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/11/08/paging-dr-smartphone-how-medical-apps-are-changing-diagnoses-and-treatments/

You can also read more about bant on our projects page.

If you are 18 or over and fit the following criteria, you may qualify for the study:

1. Adult with Rheumatoid Arthritis, experienced with administering injections (minimum of 4 injections in the past year)

If interested, contact Deborah Chan at deborah.chan[at]uhn.ca or 416-340-4800 x6354.

“Modern medical gizmos save lives.  But sometimes, they kill.  On this week’s episode of  White Coat Black Art, life and death… by design. Healthy design is not just about designing hospitals. It’s also designing the medical devices used by people who work in hospitals. The kind of handiwork that — done badly — can play havoc with your health and your life”

The entire interview can be found here:

http://www.cbc.ca/whitecoat/episode/2010/11/05/healthy-design-episode/