Objective: To determine the usability of the electronic health record (EHR) utilized for primary care for diabetic patients at the Nairobi Hospital to improve service delivery.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey to physicians, nurses, and health information management officers. Interviews were conducted using a peer-reviewed usability questionnaire. A standard metric of technology usability, System Usability Scale (SUS) was utilized to summarize results.
Results: A mean SUS score of 91.7 which is in the A grade meaning that the usability of the EHR was acceptable. Participants 44% reported that the EHR did not provided some of the features required for completion of tasks. Moreover, participants 75% reported the EHR did not provide good error messages whenever they made mistakes.
Discussion: The perceived usability of the EHR was both useful and satisfactory. Both regular and intermittent users of the software would easily recover whenever they made mistakes. However, the EHR did not provide an attribute for the entry of the measurement for waist size yet it is an essential attribute for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Also, the EHR did not provide opportunity for recording patient drug allergies, instead, had pre-recorded incomplete list of drug allergies.
Conclusions: The usability of the EHR was acceptable except for the need to provide an attribute for waist and the need to provide good error messages and feedback to users. Moreover, the institution needs to address the challenge of workload experienced by the users of the EHR software.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Background and Significance
- Materials and methods
- Results
- Characteristics of participants
- Participants' satisfaction rating on training to use the EHR
- Participants' perceived usefulness of the EHR software
- Participants' perceived ease of use of the EHR software
- Participants' perceived ease of learning to use the EHR software
- Discussion
- EHR software covers the comprehensive picture of the subject
Objectives and Key Themes
The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability of an electronic health record (EHR) system used for primary care of diabetic patients at Nairobi Hospital, aiming to improve service delivery. The study employed a cross-sectional survey and interviews using a peer-reviewed usability questionnaire and the System Usability Scale (SUS) to measure usability.
- Usability of Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
- User satisfaction and productivity with EHRs
- Impact of EHR design on data quality and patient safety
- Importance of comprehensive EHR functionality for diabetes management
- Factors affecting EHR usability (training, work environment).
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of EHR usability within the context of high workload in chronic disease clinics. It defines usability as the ability of a system to allow users to perform tasks safely, effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily. The chapter also introduces relevant theories, such as social cognitive theory and the capability opportunity model, highlighting the influence of environmental and personal factors on user performance with EHRs. The importance of considering these factors in designing usable EHR systems is emphasized.
Background and Significance: This chapter discusses the advancements in medical technology, particularly the transition to electronic health records (EHRs). It highlights the advantages of EHRs, such as improved patient safety and enhanced performance, but also emphasizes the potential negative impacts of poor EHR design on user productivity and satisfaction. The chapter explores various methods for usability evaluation and examines how EHR design affects data quality, including the importance of comprehensive functionality and the need for quality control mechanisms, particularly in contexts like Kenya where such mechanisms may be lacking.
Materials and methods: This chapter details the methodology of the cross-sectional study conducted at Nairobi Hospital's chronic disease clinic. It describes the participant selection process, the use of a peer-reviewed usability questionnaire, the System Usability Scale (SUS) for data analysis, and the ethical approvals obtained. The methods for data analysis, including the calculation of percentages from Likert scale responses, are also explained.
Results: This chapter presents the findings of the study. It details participant demographics, their satisfaction with training, and their perceived usefulness, ease of use, and ease of learning regarding the EHR software. The results show a high overall SUS score (indicating acceptable usability) but also highlight areas of concern, such as the lack of certain features and inadequate error messages. Detailed tables summarize the participant responses.
Discussion: This chapter discusses the implications of the findings, evaluating the EHR's comprehensiveness in addressing the needs for diabetes diagnosis and management. It highlights the key shortcomings identified in the EHR, namely, the absence of a field for waist circumference measurement and limitations in recording patient-specific drug allergies. The chapter connects these findings to the broader literature on EHR usability and the importance of considering user needs and potential error scenarios during software design.
Keywords
Usability, Electronic Health Record, Satisfaction, Sufficiency, EHR Design, Diabetes Management, User Performance, System Usability Scale (SUS), Kenya, Nairobi Hospital
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of this document?
This document is a comprehensive language preview obtained from a publishing company, containing OCR data intended solely for academic use, analyzing themes in a structured and professional manner. It includes a title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What is the main topic of study in the document?
The document primarily focuses on the usability of an electronic health record (EHR) system used for primary care of diabetic patients, with the objective of improving service delivery at Nairobi Hospital.
What are the key themes explored in the document?
The key themes include: Usability of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), User satisfaction and productivity with EHRs, Impact of EHR design on data quality and patient safety, Importance of comprehensive EHR functionality for diabetes management, and Factors affecting EHR usability (training, work environment).
What are the chapters summarized in the document?
The document provides summaries for the following chapters: Introduction, Background and Significance, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion.
What does the "Introduction" chapter cover?
The "Introduction" chapter introduces the concept of EHR usability in high workload chronic disease clinics, defining usability and highlighting relevant theories such as social cognitive theory and the capability opportunity model.
What is discussed in the "Background and Significance" chapter?
The "Background and Significance" chapter discusses the transition to EHRs, their advantages and potential drawbacks, various usability evaluation methods, and how EHR design affects data quality.
What methodology is detailed in the "Materials and Methods" chapter?
The "Materials and Methods" chapter details the cross-sectional study conducted at Nairobi Hospital, including participant selection, the use of a peer-reviewed usability questionnaire, the System Usability Scale (SUS), and ethical approvals.
What kind of findings are presented in the "Results" chapter?
The "Results" chapter presents participant demographics, their satisfaction with training, and their perceived usefulness, ease of use, and ease of learning regarding the EHR software. It includes the SUS score and highlights areas of concern.
What is the focus of the "Discussion" chapter?
The "Discussion" chapter evaluates the EHR's comprehensiveness in addressing diabetes management needs, identifies shortcomings, and connects the findings to the broader literature on EHR usability.
What are some of the keywords associated with this document?
The keywords include: Usability, Electronic Health Record, Satisfaction, Sufficiency, EHR Design, Diabetes Management, User Performance, System Usability Scale (SUS), Kenya, Nairobi Hospital.
What specific EHR shortcomings were identified in the study?
The study identified the absence of a field for waist circumference measurement and limitations in recording patient-specific drug allergies as key shortcomings.
How was the usability of the EHR system measured?
The usability was measured using a peer-reviewed usability questionnaire and the System Usability Scale (SUS).
Where was the study conducted?
The study was conducted at Nairobi Hospital's chronic disease clinic in Kenya.
- Quote paper
- Amos Olwendo (Author), 2025, Usability Evaluation of an Electronic Health Record to Improve User Performance. The case of Nairobi Hospital, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1571211
