ABSTRACT
Electronic health records, such as the Veterans Affairs Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), have the potential to fundamentally improve many aspects of health care. Evaluating usability for such systems, however, remains challenging due to inherent system and task complexity. Similarly, testing prototypes for system augmentation or redesign is perhaps more challenging not only due to interdependence and tight coupling between system components, but also due to factors such as patient safety and privacy. The notification system within CPRS is one such tightly-coupled component that permits health care providers to receive patient-specific alerts and reports from other members of a patient's health care team. We propose the use of human performance modeling to help quantify usability issues with notification processing, to better understand how the cunent
user interface affects patient safety, and to help develop and test alternative designs.
Keywords: Electronic Health Records, EHRs, Usability, Cognitive Modeling
