Studies in health technology and informatics
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2011
Real-time "x-ray vision" for healthcare simulation: an interactive projective overlay system to enhance intubation training and other procedural training.
We have developed a prototype of a real-time, interactive projective overlay (IPO) system that creates augmented reality display of a medical procedure directly on the surface of a full-body mannequin human simulator. These images approximate the appearance of both anatomic structures and instrument activity occurring within the body. ⋯ The images are projected in correct registration onto the surface of the simulated body. As an initial practical prototype to test this technique we have developed a system permitting real-time visualization of the intra-airway position of an endotracheal tube during simulated intubation training.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2011
VR-based training and assessment in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia: from error analysis to system design.
If VR-based medical training and assessment is to improve patient care and safety (i.e. a genuine health gain), it has to be based on clinically relevant measurement of performance. Metrics on errors are particularly useful for capturing and correcting undesired behaviors before they occur in the operating room. However, translating clinically relevant metrics and errors into meaningful system design is a challenging process. This paper discusses how an existing task and error analysis was translated into the system design of a VR-based training and assessment environment for Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia (UGRA).
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Computerized alerts provided by health care information systems have been shown to enhance clinical practice. However, clinicians still override more than half of the alerts. This indicates that certain aspects of alerts need improvement to fulfill their purpose of supporting clinicians in decision making. ⋯ Alert message contents that lack clinical importance or provide incorrect texts increase alert non-adherence. Few studies have yet focused on the impact of alert specifications on clinicians' adherence. A research agenda is needed on alert specifications and their impact on clinicians' adherence in order to develop alerts that truly support clinician decision making.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2011
Healthcare professionals' experiences with EHR-system access control mechanisms.
Access control mechanisms might influence on the information seeking and documentation behavior of clinicians. In this study, we have surveyed healthcare professionals in nursing homes and hospitals on their attitudes to, and experiences with using access control mechanisms. ⋯ Not all clinicians logged out of the system when they left a workstation, and some clinicians reported to do some of their documentation work in the name of others. The reported practices might have implications for the safety of the patient.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialControl over the virtual environment influences the presence and efficacy of a virtual reality intervention on pain.
The main aim of this study is to investigate whether the control the user has over a virtual environment (VE) influences the sense of presence. A secondary purpose is to explore the relationship between Virtual Reality (VR) presence and pain tolerance during a cold-pressor experience. Ninety-four participants underwent two consecutive cold-pressor trials, one without VR exposure and the other providing a VR stereoscopic figure used as a symbolic representation of the sensation of pain. ⋯ Participants had a higher pain tolerance during both VR conditions than in the no-VR trial, with a greater increase in pain tolerance from the non-VR trial in the interactive condition. Presence scores correlated significantly and positively with pain tolerance scores. We discuss the importance of VR interaction and control over the VR environments used in VR pain interventions designed to increase cognitive control over pain.