How can you design HIT clinical informatics workflows that work for your healthcare team?

The real question to answer is what problem are you trying to solve--too many clicks, non standard workflow, inadequate or faulty CDS, poorly designed UI, misleading prompts, etc. Then you assess the current workflow from that perspective.

Effective HIT clinical informatics workflows are not static but should evolve as technology advances, patient needs change, and organizational goals adapt. By following these guidelines and fostering a collaborative, data-driven approach, you can design HIT clinical informatics workflows that empower your healthcare team to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.

Face to face observation of what users actually do is a good starting point I find. Capture what actually needs to be collected in terms of data and when. Far too often this is omitted, assumptions are made based on questionable knowledge. Systems should not force users to click buttons that are not necessary. Where possible automate processes to reduce cognitive load #IntegratedUrgentCare #InfinitasConsultingLtd

A key piece of defining future state is to identify how you will measure success. This allows you to intentionally build the ability to capture that information into the new workflow. I would also suggest that all stakeholders sign off on the proposed future state before implementaion.

This step is the most crucial in the ultimate success of design you implement. You must first get the stakeholders to agree that a change needs to occur in the first place.

Because it is a challenge to get all of the stakeholders, sometimes on our projects, we will work with the stakeholders to determine the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). We then go through the process of design with the SMEs. The other stakeholders can be looped in with the last round of testing. We have them trained using the planned training materials, and then provide test scripts. A SME sits with each of them to do two things. First, we effectively test the system by having a user with only the scheduled training use it. Second, we are testing the training. Inevitably we find that users will have a few gaps in common. That knowledge is then incorporated into the training.

I see the key element of design, for both physical facility and HIT workflow, is to listen. Each group of docs, nurses, diagnostics, support has its own needs. They know how to do their job; we just have to adjust.