A human factors and survey methodology-based design of a web-based adverse event reporting system for families

Daniels, Jeremy P.; King, Ashlee D.; Cochrane, D. Douglas; Carr, Roxane; Shaw, Nicola T.; Lim, Joanne; Ansermino, J. Mark

doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2010.01.016

« Previous Next »International Journal of Medical Informatics
Volume 79, Issue 5 , Pages 339-348, May 2010

A human factors and survey methodology-based design of a web-based adverse event reporting system for families

Jeremy P. Daniels
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Corresponding author at: BC Children's Hospital, Department of Anesthesia – Room IL7A, 4480 Oak St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3V4 Canada. Tel.: +1 604 719 6772; fax: +1 604 875 3221.
Ashlee D. King
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
D. Douglas Cochrane
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Roxane Carr
- Department of Pharmacy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nicola T. Shaw
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Joanne Lim
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
J. Mark Ansermino
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Received 19 December 2009; received in revised form 24 January 2010; accepted 27 January 2010. published online 22 February 2010.

Abstract

Purpose

Adverse event reporting systems allow healthcare institutions to detect and prevent recurrence of avoidable patient harm. It is known that standard reporting systems, which are initiated by clinicians, detect only a minority of chart-documented adverse events. The objective of the study was to develop a web-based system, the Family Reporting System (FRS), to elicit adverse event reports from families of children admitted to hospital through survey methodology and human factors engineering techniques.

Measurements

Face validity and usability were measured via standardized survey instruments. Utility was measured via the rate, typology, degree of harm, likelihood of recurrence, quality of information, and inter-rater agreement analysis of the reported events.

Results

The FRS has good face validity, excellent usability, and good clinical utility.

Conclusion

The application of survey and human factors methodologies to the design of an electronic system is an effective means of developing an electronic adverse event reporting system for the use of families of pediatric patients.

Keywords: Adverse event, Human factors, Patient safety, Patient involvement, Reporting system