Usability Laboratory as the Last Outpost before Implementation - Lessons Learnt from Testing New Patient Record Functionality

The implementation of clinical IT systems is resource-demanding and difficult. In this paper we show how laboratory-based usability tests can be used as a last checkpoint before a system is rolled out, and share lessons learnt on how to conduct such tests in order to obtain valid results. The recommendations are based on experiences from two usability tests of a new medication module conducted in the spring 2008, where two nurses and two physicians simulated a pre round meeting, ward round, and administration of medication in a usability lab furnished as a hospital ward. The results show that details around the test situation are important for testing of implementation ready clinical IT systems. Patient cases must be adapted to the clinical specialties of the test participants, the patient data in the system must be complete, and persons holding the roles as patients have to understand the patient histories and the medical problem.