Human factors and ergonomics as a patient safety practice

Abstract

Background: Human factors and ergonomics (HFE) approaches to patient safety have addressed five different domains: usability of technology; human error and its role in patient safety; the role of healthcare worker performance in patient safety; system resilience; and HFE systems approaches to patient safety.

Methods: A review of various HFE approaches to patient safety and studies on HFE interventions was conducted.

Results: This paper describes specific examples of HFE-based interventions for patient safety. Studies show that HFE can be used in a variety of domains.

Conclusions: HFE is a core element of patient safety improvement. Therefore, every effort should be made to support HFE applications in patient safety.

Keywords: Human error; Human factors; Patient safety.

Figure 1

Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model of work system and patient safety. Reproduced from Carayon et al with permission from BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.