Scenario-Based Evaluation of Team Health Information Technology to Support Pediatric Trauma Care Transitions.

BACKGROUND

Clinicians need health information technology (IT) that better supports their work. Currently, most health IT is designed to support individuals; however, more and more often, clinicians work in cross-functional teams. Trauma is one of the leading preventable causes of children's death. Trauma care by its very nature is team based but due to the emergent nature of trauma, critical clinical information is often missed in the transition of these patients from one service or unit to another. Teamwork transition technology can help support these transitions and minimize information loss while enhancing information gathering and storage. In this study, we created a large screen technology to support shared situational awareness across multiple clinical roles and departments.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine if the Teamwork Transition Technology (T) supports teams and team cognition.

METHODS

We used a scenario-based mock-up methodology with 36 clinicians and staff from the different units and departments who are involved in pediatric trauma to examine T.

RESULTS

Results of the evaluation show that most participants agreed that the technology helps achieve the goals set out in the design phase. Respondents thought that T organizes and presents information in a different way that was helpful to them.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we examined a health IT (T) that was designed to support teams and team cognition. The results of our evaluation show that participants agreed that T does support them in their work and increases their situation awareness.