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. 2016 Oct;24(4):4-9.
doi: 10.1177/1064804615622111. Epub 2016 Aug 16.

Health Care Human Factors/Ergonomics Fieldwork in Home and Community Settings

Rupa S Valdez  1 , Richard J Holden  2
Affiliations

Health Care Human Factors/Ergonomics Fieldwork in Home and Community Settings

Rupa S Valdez et al. Ergon Des. 2016 Oct.

Abstract

Designing innovations aligned with patients' needs and workflow requires human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) fieldwork in home and community settings. Fieldwork in these extra-institutional settings is challenged by a need to balance the occasionally competing priorities of patient and informal caregiver participants, study team members, and the overall project. We offer several strategies that HF/E professionals can use before, during, and after home and community site visits to optimize fieldwork and mitigate challenges in these settings. Strategies include interacting respectfully with participants, documenting the visit, managing the study team-participant relationship, and engaging in dialogue with institutional review boards.

Keywords: Fieldwork; extra-institutional settings; health information technology; informal caregivers; patients; work systems.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Progression of human factors/ergonomics research in health care.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Characteristics of patients’ home environments.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The priorities of stakeholders in home- and community-based human factors/ergonomics fieldwork.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Challenges associated with fieldwork in the home and community environment. [Adapted from Holden, Scott, Hoonakker, Hundt, & Carayon, 2015]
Figure 5
Figure 5
Health care human factors/ergonomics home and community fieldwork checklist.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Health care human factors/ergonomics home and community fieldwork checklist.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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