Eric Shaver

Human Factors Professional

Medical Device Design and Human Factors

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Handbook of Human Factors in Medical Device Design

In 2011, CRC Press published the Handbook of Human Factors in Medical Device Design.  The book is edited by Matthew B. Weinger, Michael E. Wiklund, and Daryle J. Gardner-Bonneau and includes the following chapters:

  1. General Principles
  2. Basic Human Abilities
  3. Environment of Use
  4. Anthropometry and Biomechanics
  5. Documentation
  6. Testing and Evaluation
  7. Controls
  8. Visual Displays
  9. Connections and Connectors
  10. Alarm Design
  11. Software User Interfaces
  12. Workstations
  13. Signs, Symbols, and Markings
  14. Packaging
  15. Device Life Cycle
  16. Hand Tool Design
  17. Mobile Medical Devices
  18. Home Health Care
  19. Cross-National and Cross-Cultural Design of Medical Devices

This resource should be on the bookshelf of all human factors professionals involved in the design, development, and deployment of medical devices.  Moreover, it’s also a good resource for systems engineering and regulatory professionals.

References

Weinger, M.B., Wiklund, M.E., & Garner-Bonneau, D.J. (2011). Handbook of human factors in medical device design. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2015

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Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2015 Cover Small

The ECRI Institute has recently published their Top 10 list of Health Technology Hazards for 2015.  They include:

  1. Alarm Hazards: Inadequate Alarm Configuration Policies and Practices
  2. Data Integrity: Incorrect or Missing Data in EHRs and Other Health IT Systems
  3. Mix-Up of IV Lines Leading to Misadministration of Drugs and Solutions
  4. Inadequate Reprocessing of Endoscopes and Surgical Instruments
  5. Ventilator Disconnections Not Caught because of Mis-set or Missed Alarms
  6. Patient-Handling Device Use Errors and Device Failures
  7. “Dose Creep”: Unnoticed Variations in Diagnostic Radiation Exposures
  8. Robotic Surgery: Complications due to Insufficient Training
  9. Cybersecurity: Insufficient Protections for Medical Devices and Systems
  10. Overwhelmed Recall and Safety-Alert Management Programs

It’s an interesting report worth reading.  If you’re interested in receiving you own copy, click on the image above or this link.

Stories of Leadership

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Leader vs follower conceptRobert J. Sternberg published “The WICS approach to leadership: Stories of leadership and the structures and processes that support them” in a 2008 issue of The Leadership Quarterly.

In essence, successful leaders use stories with compelling messages to appeal to their followers.  Based on this idea, Dr. Sternberg, with the assistance of Christopher Rate, created the following taxonomy of leadership stories:

  • The Carpenter – the leader who can build a new organization or society
  • The CEO – the leader who can “get things done”
  • The Communicator – the leader who can communicate with diverse followers
  • The Conqueror – the leader who is going to conquer all enemies
  • The Conserver – the leader who will make sure things stay the wonderful way they are
  • The Cook – the leader who has the recipe to improve the life of his or her followers
  • The Deep Thinker – the leader who will make sense out of what is going on
  • The Defender – the leader who will save all followers from harm
  • The Deity – the leader who presents him or herself as savior
  • The Diplomat – the leader who can get everyone to work together
  • The Doctor – the leader who can cure what is wrong with the organization
  • The Ethicist – the leader who pledges to clean up the place
  • The Lifesaver – the leader who will rescue followers from otherwise certain death
  • The Organizer -the leaders who can create order out of chaos
  • The Plumber – the leader who can fix all the leaks
  • The Politician – the leader who understands how “the system” works
  • The Replicator – the leader who is going to be like some past individual
  • The Scout – the leader who can lead followers to new and uncharted territory
  • The Ship Captain – the captain of a ship navigating through turbulent times
  • The Turn-Around Specialist – the leader who can turn around a failing organization
  • The Warrior Chieftain – the leader who will lead followers to fight, defensively or offensively, enemies, seen or unseen
  • Based on this taxonomy, which leadership story(s) best fit you?  Would others in your organization agree with your assessment?

I hope Dr. Sternberg – or other leadership researchers – take the opportunity to further investigate and expand on this concept.

References

Sternberg, R.J. (2008).  The WICS approach to leadership: Stories of leadership and the structures and processes that support them.  The Leadership Quarterly, 19, 360-371.