title: Efficiency of Clinical Decision Support Systems Improves with Experience.
abstract: Efficiency, or the resources spent while performing a specific task, is widely regarded as one the determinants of usability. In this study, the authors hypothesize that having a group of users perform a similar task over a prolonged period of time will lead to improvements in efficiency of that task. This study was performed in the domain of decision-supported medication reviews. Data was gathered during a randomized controlled trial. Three expert teams consisting of an independent physician and an independent pharmacist conducted 150 computerized medication reviews on patients in 13 general practices located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Results were analyzed with a linear mixed model. A fixed effects test on the linear mixed model showed a significant difference in the time required to conduct medication reviews over time; F(31.145) = 14.043, p < .001. The average time in minutes required to conduct medication reviews up to the first quartile was M = 20.42 (SD = 9.00), while the time from the third quartile up was M = 9.81 (SD = 6.13). This leads the authors to conclude that the amount of time users needed to perform similar tasks decreased significantly as they gained experience over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands. m.c.meulendijk@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Michiel C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Meulendijk
authors.affiliation: Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Spru IT B.V., Livarstraat 57, 3573 SB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marco R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Spruit
authors.affiliation: Department General Practice, VUmc, Van der Boechorstraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Floor
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Willeboordse
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, LUMC, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mattijs E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Numans
authors.affiliation: Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sjaak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brinkkemper
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine and Expertise Centre Pharmacotherapy in Old Persons, University Medical Center, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wilma
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knol
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine and Expertise Centre Pharmacotherapy in Old Persons, University Medical Center, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul A F
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Askari
mesh_terms: D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D054539:Medication Therapy Management / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009426:Netherlands; D010595:Pharmacists; D010820:Physicians; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Clinical decision support; Efficiency; Medication review; Usability