Innovating Clinical Decision Support for a Multi-Parameter Patient Monitoring System : Co-creating User Requirements Utilizing User Centered Design

Abstract

This research used action design research methods, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, user centered design, and the new, Lean-based Fastworks technique to gather voice of customer (VOC) input from an international base of clinicians (n=53) for a new concept in patient monitoring. This research was conducted during the product research phase at the case company, a global provider of healthcare patient monitoring systems. This research determined the clinical user requirements and application preferences for the innovative Clinical Decision Support (CDS) patient monitoring concept in pan-hospital environments. CDS was unchartered territory in the case company’s patient monitoring business; the needs of the user were unknown. The user requirements were co-created during five intense, iterative collaboration sessions between the researcher and clinicians from professional user groups composed of physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists. The research results include the usefulness and utility of the design, visualization preferences, application preferences, clinician group use preferences, monitoring touch points, data and display presentation factors, predictive analytic preferences, clinical practice autonomy factors, additional user needs, and care area use differences. The research presents a practical application of CDS and links this case to potential healthcare and economic value benefits. This research also presents a novel method for ranking user requirements and user preferences. CDS is seen as the first step in the journey to transform the way that clinical monitoring information is processed and presented to the clinicians. The full results of the research are published internally at the case company.