Improving Usability and Reducing Overload Among Physicians Within the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital Using EHR Systems

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2023-08-28

Type of Work

Department

University of Baltimore. Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences

Program

University of Baltimore. Master of Science in Interaction Design and Information Architecture

Citation of Original Publication

Rights

Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by The University of Baltimore for non-commercial research and educational purposes.

Abstract

The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers implemented the Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) into their practices between 1999 and 2000. The BCMA has significantly influenced physicians' daily workflows, with electronic systems helping to reduce medication errors. However, cognitive overload and related issues are common, highlighting the need for more intensive research on the Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMARs) to find solutions that alleviate these challenges for physicians. This research aims to identify the current usability problems in the Veteran's Affairs (VA's) hospital's eMAR/BCMA system and investigate how these systems contribute to physician overload, leading to medical errors and suboptimal patient outcomes.