Right Information, Right Time, Right Place: Physical Alignment and Misalignment in Healthcare Practice

Kathleen H. Pine, Yunan Chen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Implementation of new health information systems such as Electronic Health Records (EHR) is expected to reap many benefits. However, the transition from one information system to another is often associated with inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and patient safety hazards. These negative consequences are difficult to predict and avoid before system transitions take place. The changed physical form of information remains an unexamined facet of healthcare system transitions. Using ethnographic methods in two clinical sites, we discovered a recurrent set of problems that emerged due to physical disconnections between information and practice predicated on implementation of new information systems. "Physical misalignments" are instances where workers cannot bring information sources to hand in the precise time and place in which they are needed. We identify three types of physical misalignments, then discuss how physical misalignments can be proactively identified and corrected before, during, and after implementation of new health information systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationCHI 2020 - Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery
ISBN (Electronic)9781450367080
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 21 2020
Event2020 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2020 - Honolulu, United States
Duration: Apr 25 2020Apr 30 2020

Publication series

NameConference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

Conference

Conference2020 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2020
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityHonolulu
Period4/25/204/30/20

Keywords

  • electronic health records
  • ethnography
  • health information systems
  • implementation
  • unintended consequences

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Software

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