Robert Schumacher Comments on EHR Usability

The focus on usability of Health Information Technology (HIT) continues to grow as hospitals, physicians, and government initiatives have promoted the adoption of these systems.  In the May issue of the Journal of Oncology Practice, Robert Schumacher presents a commentary discussing the impact of usability on Electronic Health Record (EHR) adoption titled, "Commentary: Electronic Health Records and Human Performance".  He also highlights ways in which these systems can be evaluated and common design errors that can make EHRs difficult to use.

User Centric received attention from the HIT community last year after publishing two studies on EHR adoption and PHR usability.  Speaking invitations to national conferences and local HIT organizations, as well as the production of an engaging healthcare webinar series, have lead to the opportunity to aid the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) in developing the 2011 Usability Testing Guide for Ambulatory EHR systems. Robert Schumacher sits on the National Research Council for the Role of Human Factors in Home Healthcare.