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Before covering how to hire a user experience designer, let’s explain why UX designers are a peculiar bunch. Apart from the fact that they...
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Electronic Healthcare Records (EHR) are some of the most breakthrough methods to implement digitalization in medicine. We witness impressive EHR/EMR adoption rates of 89% in 2021. To succeed in the digitalization process, healthcare institutions should never neglect the usability of EMR interfaces.
This article discovers what makes the usability of EMR user interface design one of the key factors in EHR/EMR adoption and offers meaningful tips for EMR interface design aimed to create a superior user experience.
The overwhelming trend towards digitalization makes electronic medical record systems highly demanded. Therefore, the forecasts for the EMR penetration are more than favorable. The market is estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 7.5% till 2026.
Government directs multiple initiatives to encourage medical caregivers to implement electronic health records. The other drivers of the EMR market growth include the increasing need for an integrated healthcare system, the pervading trends of big data in the healthcare industry, and modernization of data storage.
Which factors can reinforce the penetration of EMR and EHR systems? The usability of electronic medical record user interface design is definitely among the most significant ones.
The Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) defines the usability of an EMR as the efficiency and satisfaction with which users can fulfill their tasks in a specific environment. Essentially, good usability means convenience and ease of use. It is intuitive, allows to perform tasks promptly, and requires a minimum mental effort.
Why is EHR usability paramount? The right EMR user interface greatly affects productivity, security, satisfaction of all stakeholders, clinical burnout, and even profitability!
EHR usability problem is one of the reasons why the penetration of these systems in the medical field is slowed down. Conversely, better usability can address the main EHR/EMR implementation challenges. Let’s have a more precise look at the ways how an efficient electronic health record interface design enhances operations in medical institutions and elevates user experience.
The carefully developed interfaces of EHRs automate access to information, thereby streamlining the clinician’s workflow. Furthermore, it supports such care-related activities as evidence-based decision-making, quality monitoring, and results reporting. Therefore, the efficient design of electronic medical record user interfaces pushes the EHR market forward.
Clinical burnout is one of the primary concerns for many healthcare organizations. EHR usability is strongly linked with this threatening occurrence, which is confirmed by the research. How can EMR interfaces help mitigate the issue?
The absence of high standards in the design, development, and implementation of EHR products can lead to patient safety issues. Cluttered electronic medical record interfaces and a complex medication list are the common factors that may cause safety events. Therefore, a proper EHR interface design that includes a clean data entry process is paramount to ensure EHR data integrity and patient security.
EHR systems can incorporate features that display alerts for potential drug interactions and adverse effects. EHR database capabilities can also speed up the practitioners’ job by allowing instant research of any drug, its side effects, and contraindications. Overall, the proper design of EMR user interfaces can reduce medical errors by more than 50%.
Crafting an efficient EMR interface system involves experienced users, complex functionality, and critical tasks. By implementing usability in EHR/EMR interfaces, institutions can counter these challenges. Consider the following EMR interface design tips to optimize your implementation process.
This is one of the essential EHR interface design tips that shapes a successful start of the user’s interaction with your EHR.
Since you cannot design/redesign everything in a huge system, focus on the primary tasks. Start with modules, such as patient card, your launch is impossible without. Usually, such modules embrace all types of users: a doctor, a nurse, and a front desk person.
Your EHR user interface design should ensure quick and simple operation.
Example of a critical action:
Consider the device specifics in your design process:
Make sure you follow these tips:
Excessive information can confuse and overwhelm the user. A proper UX oversight will help you ease the task for your client.
Use a simple, clean style and avoid being too trendy. Also, well-established, intuitive icons are preferable. You should consider the ISO recommendations; however, you may also add your own styling if it is validated via testing. Here is a comparison of some ISO icons with more contemporary Material Design icons:
Always try to think broader and wider than merely creating a medical device that does the job properly. To gain a competitive edge, you should consider greater usage options.
Combine your knowledge and experience with those of doctors and nurses. Share drafts and arrange the discussion. It’s cheaper and faster in the first stages.
The EHR system is supposed to contain sensitive patient data, such as diagnoses, prescriptions, and personal information. Make sure the data is kept securely.
We’ll share one of our successful case studies of customized EHR interfaces development.
We had to deal with a 16-year-old product that had been created and improved by various professionals throughout its service life. Our goal was to simplify the product’s use while making the development process clear and simple for the client’s team.
Our working process was split into the following major steps:
We addressed the main issue of inconsistency in a huge product. We have developed patterns, components, interface elements, and bases from which everything is built. Thanks to simple and flexible navigation, an extremely comprehensive product became easy to use. We have also minimized the time needed to work with the interface enabling the team members to devote more time to the real patients. Overall, we not only created a new electronic health record interface design but also established a widely re-considered and optimized user experience.
A primary trend across multiple industries, digitalization dictates a continually growing need for the adoption of EMR/EHR in the healthcare sector. Focusing on the usability of the EHR screen design and user interface allows stakeholders to mitigate the challenges and maximize the benefits of the technology.
Although designing a comprehensive EMR system is not an easy job, the ten suggested tips for EHR interface design will guide you through the complicated development process or help you properly coordinate your vendor’s work. Whether you need a customized EHR interface, an existing EMR interface redesign, or the optimization of application interfaces, contact us – we can handle the job with success.
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