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https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/health-information-technology-usability

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PROJECTS/PROGRAMS

# Health Information Technology Usability

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## Description

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act provides financial incentives and other support to drive the adoption and meaningful use of EHRs. A recent report funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), however, identified key shortcomings among certified EHR vendors in the processes, practices and use of standards and best practices with regard to usability and human factors. Efficient and effective use of EHRs is essential as these systems increasingly become a central tool for patient care.

The NIST health IT Usability initiative is focused on establishing a framework that defines and assesses health IT usability. The goal of the research effort, being conducted in collaboration with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is to create a detailed specification of an objective, repeatable procedure for measuring and evaluating the usability of health IT systems. The initiative will examine the human factors critical to designing usable EHRs and will guide industry in usability engineering practices.

## **Reports & Publications**

**Examining the Copy and Paste Function in the Use of Electronic Health Records**January 19, 2017Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Mala Ramaiah, Sandra S. Prettyman, Debora Simmons, David Brick, Ellen Deutsch, Lorraine B. Possanza, Ollie B. Gray, Betty A. Levine, Kinsey Gimbel, Kyle Andrews

**Improving Clinical Workflow in Ambulatory Care: Implemented Recommendations in an Innovation Prototype for the Veteran’s Health Administration**August 3, 2015Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Emily S. Patterson, Mala Ramaiah, Michael C. Gibbons, David Brick, Robert Calco, Greg Matton, Anne Miller, Ellen Makar, Jorge Ferrer

(NIST 8095) Electronic Health Record Design Considerations in Responding to Incidences of Highly Infectious Diseases: Clinical Workflows and Exception HandlingDecember 2015Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Mala Ramaiah, Emily S. Patterson,  Paul Latkany

Technical Basis for User Interface Design of Health ITSeptember 2015Author(s): Michael E. Wiklund, Jonathan Kendler, Limor Hochberg, Matthew B. Weinger

Improving Clinical Workflow in Ambulatory Care: Implemented Recommendations in an Innovation Prototype for the Veteran’s Health Administration August 3, 2015Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Emily S. Patterson, Mala Ramaiah, Michael C. Gibbons, David Brick, Robert Calco, Greg Matton, Anne Miller, Ellen Makar, Jorge Ferrer

JMIR_APPLYING HUMAN FACTORS PRINCIPLES TO MITIGATE USABILITY ISSUES RELATED TO EMBEDDED ASSUMPTIONS IN HEALTH IT DESIGN April 30, 2015Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Michael C. Gibbons, Emily S. Patterson

(NISTIR 8042) Integrating Electronic Health Records into Clinical Workflow: An Application of Human Factors Modeling Methods to Obstetrics and Gynecology and OphthalmologyFebruary 2015Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Mala Ramaiah, Emily S. Patterson, Paul Latkany, David Brick, Michael C. Gibbons

(NISTIR 7988) Integrating Electronic Health Records into Clinical Workflow: An Application of Human Factors Modeling Methods to Ambulatory CareMarch 11, 2014Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Mala Ramaiah, Emily S. Patterson, David Brick, Ayse P. Gurses, Ant Ozok, Debora Simmons, Michael C. Gibbons

(NISTIR 7952) Toward a Shared Approach for Ensuring Patient Safety with Enhanced Workflow Design for Electronic Health Records -- Summary of the WorkshopAugust, 2013Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Mala Ramaiah, Ant Ozok, Ayse P. Gurses, Michael C. Gibbons, David Brick, Emily S. Patterson, Debora Simmons

Enhancing Electronic Health Record Usability in Pediatric Patient Care: A Scenario-Based Approach March 20, 2013Author(s): Emily S. Patterson, Jiajie Zhang, Patricia Abbott, Michael C. Gibbons, Svetlana Z. Lowry, Matthew T. Quinn, Mala Ramaiah, David Brick

(NISTIR 7865) A Human Factors Guide to Enhance EHR Usability of Critical User Interactions when Supporting Pediatric Patient CareJune 28, 2012Authors: Svetlana Z. Lowry, Matthew T. Quinn, Mala Ramaiah, David Brick, Emily S. Patterson, Jiajie Zhang, Patricia Abbott, Michael C. Gibb

(NISTIR 7804) Technical Evaluation, Testing and Validation of the Usability of Electronic Health RecordsFebruary 21, 2012Author(s): Svetlana Z. Lowry, Matthew T. Quinn, Mala Ramaiah, Robert M. Schumacher, Emily S. Patterson, Robert North, Jiajie Zhang, Michael C. Gibbons, Patricia Abbott

Usability and Accessibility in Consumer Health Informatics: Current Trends and Future Challenges May 16, 2011Author(s): Larry Goldberg, Bettijoyce B. Lide, Svetlana Z. Lowry, Holly Massett, Whitney Quesenbery, Ben Schneiderman

(NISTIR 7769) Human Factors Guidance to Prevent Healthcare Disparities with the Adoption of EHRsApril 7, 2011Author(s): Michael C. Gibbons, Svetlana Z. Lowry, Matthew T. Quinn

(NISTIR 7741) NIST Guide to the Processes Approach for Improving the Usability of Electronic Health RecordsNovember 29, 2010Author(s): Robert M. Schumacher, Svetlana Z. Lowry

(NISTIR 7743) Usability in Health IT: Technical Strategy, Research, and ImplementationNovember 29, 2010Author(s): Janice (Ginny) Redish, Svetlana Z. Lowry

(NISTIR 7742) Customized Common Industry Format Template for Electronic Health Record Usability TestingNovember 16, 2010Author(s): Robert M. Schumacher, Svetlana Z. Lowry

Information technologyHealth ITUsability and human factorsVisualization research

## Organizations

                          - NIST Headquarters
                            - Laboratory Programs
                              - Information Technology Laboratory
                                - Information Access Division
                                  - Visualization and Usability Group

## Project Status

## Related NIST Projects

Health IT at NIST - Program Overview

Health Information Technology Usability

Human Factor Guidelines and Accessibility

Safety-Related Usability Framework

Security - Health Information Technology

Emerging Technologies in Healthcare

Standards & Testing - Healthcare

##   CUSTOMERS/CONTRIBUTORS