Usability Test of Electronic Immunization Reconciliation Software (2016)
Motivation
Client B (NDA binding), a software firm, was developing immunization reconciliation and vaccine inventory management softwares for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The softwares linked sources of immunization history (patient EHRs, state-level immunization repositories, etc.) and reconciled them in central database. Client B sought User-View's help in integrating principles of safety-enhanced design into the development of the software as stipulated by the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's (ONC).
Process
The User-View team conducted summative usability tests on late prototypes of both the immunization reconciliation and vaccine inventory management software. Participants included M.D.s, Nurses, and healthcare administrators. To adhere to safety-enhanced design practices, we created a Risk Management File for the purpose of proactively identifying and mitigating sources of possible patient harm. This document contained assessments of the potential and severity of use-related errors observed during the usability tests, as well as root causes of errors and suggested mitigations. We later submitted the file for public disclosure as required by ONC.
Outcome
Mitigative measures were applied to sources of error identified in the Risk Management File and the software was re-tested until summative acceptance criterion was met: 100% of participants were able to complete each assigned task without use errors that led to unacceptable risk of harm.
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