Systems modelling approaches to the design of safe healthcare delivery: ease of use and usefulness perceived by healthcare workers

Abstract

The UK health service, which had been diagnosed to be seriously out of step with good design practice, has been recommended to obtain knowledge of design and risk management practice from other safety-critical industries. While these other industries have benefited from a broad range of systems modelling approaches, healthcare remains a long way behind. In order to investigate the healthcare-specific applicability of systems modelling approaches, this study identified 10 distinct methods through meta-model analysis. Healthcare workers' perception on ‘ease of use’ and ‘usefulness’ was then evaluated.

The characterisation of the systems modelling methods showed that each method had particular capabilities to describe specific aspects of a complex system. However, the healthcare workers found that some of the methods, although potentially very useful, would be difficult to understand, particularly without prior experience. This study provides valuable insights into a better use of the systems modelling methods in healthcare.

Statement of Relevance: The findings in this study provide insights into how to make a better use of various systems modelling approaches to the design and risk management of healthcare delivery systems, which have been a growing research interest among ergonomists and human factor professionals.

Keywords:

• healthcare
• patient safety
• risk management
• system design
• systems modelling

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank all of those who participated in this study from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust, and the Firs House Surgery in Cambridge, UK. We also acknowledge the support of the Cambridge Local Research Ethics Committee through this study and give special thanks to Dr Zoë Morris for her contribution to discussion.