NL Health Services introduces initiative to enhance medical device design and usability
The provincial health authority has launched a usability testing program called human factors testing at the Health Innovation Acceleration Centre in St. John’s.
This new initiative utilizes real people to test the design of medical devices, ensuring that these devices are safe, more intuitive, and effective for healthcare providers and patients.
One of the first projects for human factors testing is the next generation of BD Pyxis™ PharmacyKeeper™ IV Workflow Management System. This project is a cloud-based software solution that involves a process where healthcare providers prepare custom IV medications for patients, requiring accuracy and close attention to patient safety.
The system helps verify that IV medication is prepared accurately and safely by verifying each drug with barcodes, keeping electronic records, and confirming doses through weight checks, thereby reducing workload and enhancing accuracy.