Auditory Warnings in the Medical Work Domain: An Overview of Critical Issues

Abstract

This presentation provides an overview of domain specific and more general issues critical to the successful design of auditory warnings for medical devices. Successful design requires a thorough understanding of the unique aspects of the medical environment as well as an appreciation of the varied needs and abilities of the diverse user population (e.g., physicians, nurses, patients, etc.). Auditory warnings in the medical arena should not only assist in event detection but also facilitate diagnosis and treatment. False alarms remain an important concern. Many clinical devices now employ integrated or centralized warning strategies, and standardized auditory tones. With these devices, it is necessary to observe the visual display to mentally discern and prioritize all active warnings. A better approach in some circumstances may be the use of novel information containing warnings (e.g., “earcons” or encoded auditory displays). Additionally, there is a need for more “intelligent” warnings based on patient- and situation-(context) specific information. Adjusting warning thresholds as each patient's condition evolves would decrease false alarms, mitigate noise pollution, and reduce user's stress and workload. Regardless, a user-centered HFE design process should be used whereby all proposed auditory warnings are designed in an iterative fashion with continuous user input and evaluation, including rigorous testing by HFE professionals of end-users in the expected use environment.