Abstract
BackgroundUsability can influence patients’ acceptance and adoption of a health information technology. However, little research has been conducted to study the usability of a self-management health care system, especially one geared toward elderly patients.ObjectiveThis usability study evaluated a new computer-based self-management system interface for older adults with chronic diseases, using a paper prototype approach.MethodsFifty older adults with different chronic diseases participated. Two usability evaluation methods were involved: (1) a heuristics evaluation and (2) end-user testing with a think-aloud testing method, audio recording, videotaping, and interviewing. A set of usability metrics was employed to determine the overall system usability, including task incompletion rate, task completion time, frequency of error, frequency of help, satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Interviews were used to elicit participants’ comments on the system design. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data were analyzed for content.ResultsThe participants were able to perform the predesigned self-management tasks with the current system design and they expressed mostly positive responses about the perceived usability measures regarding the system interface. However, the heuristics evaluation, performance measures, and interviews revealed a number of usability problems related to system navigation, information search and interpretation, information presentation, and readability. Design recommendations for further system interface modifications were discussed.ConclusionsThis study verified the usability of the self-management system developed for older adults with chronic diseases. Also, we demonstrated that our usability evaluation approach could be used to quickly and effectively identify usability problems in a health care information system at an early stage of the system development process using a paper prototype. Conducting a usability evaluation is an essential step in system development to ensure that the system features match the users’ true needs, expectations, and characteristics, and also to minimize the likelihood of the users committing user errors and having difficulties using the system.
Highlights
With the advent of advanced technology, a number of health information systems have been developed and employed to increase support for patient self-management of chronic disease.many of those innovations are not regularly used in care management and some have been abandoned
This study verified the usability of the self-management system developed for older adults with chronic diseases
We demonstrated that our usability evaluation approach could be used to quickly and effectively identify usability problems in a health care information system at an early stage of the system development process using a paper prototype
Summary
With the advent of advanced technology, a number of health information systems have been developed and employed to increase support for patient self-management of chronic disease.many of those innovations are not regularly used in care management and some have been abandoned. Even when a technology is adopted, these usability barriers are likely to result in frustration and irritation for the user, in inefficiency and disruption in the care management process, and in a higher likelihood of committing errors [3] To avoid these negative outcomes, designers should evaluate and verify system usability during the early stages of system development [4]. Tang and colleagues [12] applied the heuristics evaluation, a usability engineering method, to examine the usability of a digital emergency medical service system designed for paramedics to input patient data They uncovered a number of heuristic violations in the user interface design. Little research has been conducted to study the usability of a self-management health care system, especially one geared toward elderly patients
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
