Lääkärit ja hoitajat parempien tietojärjestelmien kehittämistyössä: kyvykkäät ja innokkaat käyttäjät alihyödynnettyinä

Authors

• Susanna Martikainen PhD
• Jaana Kotila
• Johanna Kaipio
• Tinja Lääveri

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23996/fjhw.70097

Keywords:

electronic health record system, IT system development, physician, nurse, usability, user-centred design, participatory design

Abstract

End user participation in healthcare IT system development is essential in order to develop systems that fit together with healthcare professionals’ work tasks and needs. National questionnaire studies were conducted to explore how nurses and physicians participate in system development and what kind of experiences they have on participation. The questionnaire to nurses was conducted in spring 2017. Similarly, the questionnaire to physicians was conducted in spring 2017 but also earlier in 2010 and in 2014. The number of respondents was 4018 for physicians and 3607 for nurses.

Participation rates in the system development were following: 46% of the nurses and 49% of the physicians had participated in the system development. 21% of the nurses were willing to participate in the development groups and 20% were not willing to participate at all. The physicians’ rates were 18% and 16% in 2014, respectively. Depending on the used software, 43 - 93 % of the respondents felt that software vendors were not interested in the views and opinions of the end users, nor did the proposed improvements take place in the desired manner or quick enough. Compared to years 2010 and 2014, physicians’ opinions had not changed more positive.

The study results indicate that a large number of the end users would be willing to participate in healthcare IT system development. However, suitable methods and appropriate practices on how to involve end users in development work seem to be lacking. The results indicate that end users feel not to be able to influence to the development in the way they wish. The participation should take place as a part of the daily work. Healthcare organisations need to recognise the importance of participating in development work and, for example, enable career paths for IT physicians and nurses. It is important that the clinical work of physicians and nurses who develop information systems, will continue alongside the development to keep the practical “touch” to work in which systems are being used.