New AHRQ-Funded Reports on Usability of EMRs

I'm excited!

I just browsed two new reports on EMR (EHR) Usability funded through AHRQ. They outline some high-priority research agenda and public policy items, and acknowledge the dearth of systematic evidence on EMR usability.

New AHRQ-Funded Reports on the Usability of Electronic Health Record (EHR) SystemsTo explore the opportunity to improve EHR system usability, AHRQ commissioned the creation of two reports that synthesize the existing research and evidence in this area and suggest common methods to evaluate EHR usability going forward.

• Electronic Health Record Usability: Evaluation and Use Case Framework synthesizes the literature and best practices regarding the usability of EHRs, and it provides a set of use cases to evaluate information design in primary care IT systems.
• Electronic Health Record Usability: Interface Design Considerations provides recommended actions to support the development of an objective EHR usability evidence base and formative policies to systematically improve the usability of EHR systems.