An evaluation of five bedside information products using a user-centered, task-oriented approach.
OBJECTIVE
The paper compares several bedside information tools using user-centered, task-oriented measures to assist those making or supporting purchasing decisions.


METHODS
Eighteen potential users were asked to attempt to answer clinical questions using five commercial products (ACP's PIER, DISEASEDEX, FIRSTConsult, InfoRetriever, and UpToDate). Users evaluated each tool for ease-of-use and user satisfaction. The average number of questions answered and user satisfaction were measured for each product.


RESULTS
Results show no significant differences in user perceptions of content quality. However, user interaction measures (such as screen layout) show a significant preference for the UpToDate product. In addition, users found answers to significantly more questions using UpToDate.


CONCLUSIONS
When evaluating electronic products designed for use at the point of care, the user interaction aspects of a product become as important as more traditional content-based measures of quality. Actual or potential users of such products are appropriately equipped to identify which products rate the highest on these measures.
Campbell
Rose
R
Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA. rose.campbell@va.gov
Ash
Joan
J
D000328:Adult; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D016208:Databases, Factual; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008000:Library Surveys; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D014584:User-Computer Interface