Tailoring number entry interfaces to the task of programming medical infusion pumps

Abstract

Medical devices are often used to administer medication to patients. This task usually requires a caregiver to enter specific numerical values into a device. In such safety-critical domains, it is vital that this task can be done quickly and accurately. We consider whether tailoring the interface to make it easier for commonly entered numbers to be inputted makes this task faster and less error-prone. To evaluate this idea we take data from infusion pumps programmed on the ward and make adaptations to three existing interfaces to make the task easier (by adding buttons or altering the effects of interaction). The results of a lab-based experiment show that tailoring the interface in this way can significantly reduce the number of key presses that are required to complete the task. We also present findings regarding the process of tailoring interfaces for more general device design. Copyright 2013 by Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Inc.