Medication transitions: Vulnerable periods of change in need of human factors and ergonomics

Abstract

We present a novel view of transitions from the lens of patient ergonomics (the "science of patient work"), which posits that patients and other non-professionals perform effortful work towards health-related goals. In patient work transitions, patients experience changes in, for example, health, task demands, work capacity, roles and responsibilities, knowledge and skills, routines, needs and technologies. Medication transitions are a particularly vulnerable type of patient work transitions. We describe two cases of medication transitions-new medications and medication deprescribing-in which the patient work lens reveals many accompanying changes, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for human factors and ergonomics.

Keywords: Medical human factors; Medication safety; Patient engagement; Patient ergonomics; Patient work; Transitions of care.

Figure 1.

Two lenses to see transitions from the points of view of: (a) clinical vs. (b) patient work.