ABSTRACT
This chapter provides examples of human factors engineering (HFE) methods that can aid the identification, acquisition, application and transfer of EI&K, and ultimately influence patient safety improvement. It focuses on the systems characteristics that make clear the value added by medical librarians and informationists to the work of patient safety problem-solving. The librarian involved in improving patient safety is a 'boundary spanner' without whom making changes to the complex system of EI&K transfer within healthcare is frustratingly difficult and error prone. Human factors engineers and ergonomists have long been employed in nuclear industry, transportation, aerospace and computer science. The goal of HFE is to engineer systems to optimize human performance and make it reliably possible to achieve the desired result. The chapter then explores two effective HFE methods: Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Root Cause Analysis (RCA).
