Evaluation of Web-Based Information Systems: A Cognitive Model
Andre Kushniruk, Vimla Patel (McGill University), Jim Cimino (Columbia University)
Abstract
The advent of Internet-based information systems has provided unprecedented opportunity for widespread access of medical information by health care consumers. In this presentation we will discuss our work in understanding the interaction between patients and web-based systems designed to be accessed from home to obtain health information tailored to their specific medical problems. There are a number of models of human-computer interaction that can be applied in attempting to understand consumers' interaction with health care information systems. In this presentation, we will describe our work in developing a cognitive model of patients' interactions with health care systems. The model will focus on cognitive issues related to: (1) the extent to which the users' understanding of the system differs from that of the designers, (2) examination of how use of such technology changes patient interactions with their human caregivers, (3) characterizing the impact of such systems on reasoning and decision making processes, and (4) issues in conducting in-depth evaluation remotely. We employ a multi-method approach within a framework for interrelating fundamental aspects of human cognition with the study of human-computer interaction in health care. This includes integration of results collected from on-line questionnaires and data entry forms, automatic tracking of user interactions with systems, telephone interviews and laboratory-based usability analyses.
About Dr. Andre Kushniruk
Dr. Kushniruk is with the Centre For Medical Education at McGill University.
See also Dr. Vimla Patel's homepage and Dr. Jim Cimino's homepage.
Questions? Email them to conference@interactivehealth.org
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