MedStar launches EHR usability campaign, with videos showing UX, workflow challenges

Effective software depends on user feedback, with developers rely on a culture of open communication to learn more about bugs and usability issues. That goes electronic health records too, and MedStar Health is showing, not telling, how they could. The MedStar Health National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, in partnership with the American Medical Association, has launched a new advocacy website, EHRSeeWhatWeMean.org, to highlight for vendors some of the the usability challenges clinicians grapple with every day. On the website, MedStar hosts a series of videos showing how poor UX can present various risks to patient safety and can hinder quality of care. It also decries the gag clauses, often contained in contracts between EHR vendors and their healthcare system customers, that can prevent healthcare providers from openly discussing workflow challenges and proposing solutions.