
The first three video sections on this page show EHR usability issues clinicians face on a regular basis, followed by the related patient safety hazards and improvement opportunities. The examples focus on challenges with three basic usability concepts: data entry, visual display, and workflow support.
The videos all include or relate to footage our team obtained from January to March 2017 while researching the usability of Cerner and Epic EHR systems after they had been implemented and customized by four different hospitals. All videos contain fictitious patient data.
The videos under each category are representations of the wide variability in usability across different EHRs, as well as the challenges observed while using the EHRs in practice. Some videos are screen recordings of an actual EHR and contain gray, yellow, and red markings tracking participants’ actions. Other videos are fictional representations of an EHR that demonstrate the usability challenges observed during the study.
The last set of videos on this page represents functionalities aimed at improving the usability experience.
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Potential patient safety hazards may include: |
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Potential improvements can include: |
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Potential patient safety hazards may include: |
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Potential patient safety hazards may include: |
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Stakeholders Working Together
As you have seen in the footage above, EHR systems are complicated. The technology is shaped by the way EHR vendors design and develop it, as well as how vendors and healthcare providers customize and implement the systems. This means every EHR system in use may be different—and we need a minimum standard of safety across all of them. By working together, we can advance EHR safety, usability, and transparency.
To support this cause, Cerner shared its model experience displaying the latest functionality aimed at improving the clinician experience with EHRs.
Cerner copyright information: The following copyright information applies to the EHR interface shown in the listed video excerpts: © 2015 Cerner Corporation. Cerner Millennium version 2015.1. All rights reserved.
• Data Entry section: Norepinephrine (00:50-1:51)
• Visual Display section: Tylenol Example 1 (00:59-2:09) and Prednisone Example (00:44-1:19)
• Workflow section: MRI Example 1 (1:14-2:44) and MRI Example 3 (1:10-2:25)
All videos in the Stakeholders section contain the relevant Cerner copyright information.
Disclaimer: All of the video content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not imply and is not intended as a promotion or endorsement by the American Medical Association (“AMA”) of any third party organization, product, or service. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the AMA.