Usability Research and Testing is ‘Paramount’ to Medical Device Design - says Microsoft Healthcare in New IQPC Report

LONDON, November 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

As patient care is increasingly transferred to the home or public environment, both patients and providers must be able to use increasingly complex medical devices safely. In a recent interview with Pharma IQ, Moni Wolf, Principal Design Director, Microsoft Healthcare said that while medical device manufacturers continue to spend millions developing the latest medical technologies, they often neglect to incorporate quality user experiences, human factors and overall usability early in the design process, leading to costly delays later.

Wolf also said that usability research and usability testing are critical elements of the design process of any new device; integrating user experience factors can also help increase patient compliance and improve the quality of data that is collected and provided by patients. A growing number of self-use medical devices are being used for monitoring and treating patients, and errors in use leading to patient harm have been increasingly a cause for concern.

With poor usability now a common reason for device recall, Wolf suggested that medical device manufacturers should take lessons from big tech companies to enhance the user experience of their devices. Compared to the large investments made in medical device's technology, the investment towards orchestrating positive customer interactions is still relatively small. It is important that device manufacturers understand that service design is not a one time exercise, it is one that needs to be reviewed and updated regularly, systematically, and continuously.

"Tech companies need to collaborate with the wide range of experts in the medical industry to continue to deepen their understanding of the unique sets of requirements and opportunities in the space. Also, the service industry can serve as great benchmark for both tech companies and medical device manufacturers," says Wolf.

Improving the usability and ergonomics of medical device software can help enhance new lines of communication. This can in turn remove errors and barriers to healthcare, improve outcomes, streamline care processes, and enhance the overall patient and provider experiences.

Moni Wolf, Principal Design Director, Microsoft Healthcare will be speaking at the Software Design for Medical Devices Summit 2019 on the topic of revolutionising healthcare with user experience design.

Read the full Article with Microsoft Healthcare here

For more information or to reserve your place at the Software Design for Medical Devices 2019 call +44(0)207-036-1300 or email enquire@iqpc.co.uk