A Application of Usability Techniques in Medical Devices in Health Technology Management: A Rapid Review

Abstract

The role of clinical engineering in health technology management (HTM), incorporating human factors engineering tools, such as usability techniques, allow for improvements in the development of safer, more effective, and quality use of technological solutions. This work resulted in a rapid review of the application of usability techniques to contribute to the development and use of technological solutions for health, so that the occurrence of adverse events can be mitigated. As a consequence, information can be provided for improvements in health technology processes, in order to stimulate and highlight the importance of human factors in health. In order to understand the application of usability techniques in clinical engineering throughout the life cycle of HTM, an exploratory study was done on the literature involving medical devices. This work reinforces the importance of applying techniques to identify the problems faced in the use of technologies and thereby contribute to the activities of clinical engineering so as to reduce errors and failures. The integration and consideration of human factors in the life cycle of HTM is essential for the further advancement of clinical engineering in technology management throughout the healthcare ecosystem, and also in the discussion, construction, and validation of strategies that will help in preventing adverse events.