Hospital User Research using New Media Arts

Cecily Morrison,Alan F Blackwell

doi:10.14236/ewic/hci2009.42

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of group interaction around two display types, shared and individual, using a ‘new media’ arts application as a way to explore the physical technology setup for an intensive care unit in a hospital. We propose this method for laboratory settings when the research questions derive from socially complex environments, but realworld interventions are not possible. While users solve an ‘interaction problem’ that is posed through the ‘new media’ arts application for their own expressive purposes, researchers can analyse and collate the results to understand the solution space. We present a study with the bodyPaint application to address a design issue that we discovered when assessing the merits of an electronic patient record system.

Highlights

Health-related technologies have recently become a topical area in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
The research problem explored in this paper is inspired by a previous ethnographic study comparing ward round interaction around paper versus electronic patient records in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a specialized cardiothoracic hospital [12]
Realizing that the change from a tangible presentation of information in the paper record as opposed to the non-tangible electronic record was likely to affect non-verbal behaviour [8], and that non-verbal behaviour is a significant part of co-located group interaction [11], we focused the ethnographic study on HCI 2009 – People and Computers XXIII – Celebrating people and technology observing the physical nature of the interaction, i.e. the use of bodies and objects

Summary

Introduction

Health-related technologies have recently become a topical area in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Even if ethical approval can be obtained, doctors can be hesitant to introduce innovative technology that might disrupt patient care We recently experienced this problem while working in an intensive care unit. The research problem explored in this paper is inspired by a previous ethnographic study comparing ward round interaction around paper versus electronic patient records in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a specialized cardiothoracic hospital [12]. Realizing that the change from a tangible presentation of information in the paper record as opposed to the non-tangible electronic record was likely to affect non-verbal behaviour [8], and that non-verbal behaviour is a significant part of co-located group interaction [11], we focused the ethnographic study on HCI 2009 – People and Computers XXIII – Celebrating people and technology observing the physical nature of the interaction, i.e. the use of bodies and objects. We noted that the physical setup of the technology used, could influence formation as in Figure 1, which contrasts the formation of a ward round team using a paper patient record (left) and an electronic patient record (right)

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Conclusion