Technology for Emergency Care: Cognitive and Workflow Considerations

Hospitals transitioning from paper to electronic information systems often find inadequate fit between newly implemented technology and work environment causing delays, inefficient use of resources and new kind of errors attributable to problems in human interaction with computer systems. The purpose of this study is to characterize the workflow, decision making and cognitive processing of clinicians in the process of care in emergency department of a large urban hospital and to suggest possible technological interventions for identified problem areas. Through the analysis of collected data we identified fifteen tasks and areas that either slowed work progress by unnecessary duplication or created potential for error generation. Recommendations are made for the replacement of currently inadequate or non-existent technology support of clinicians by information and communication technology specifically selected to fit the cognitive and workflow demands of the task.