Wireless and Mobile Solutions Practice        Case Study:        Automated Patient Records     ______________________________________ Challenge Traditional desktop interfaces for automated patient records don't realistically offer clinicians the ability to access and record patient data while meeting with a patient. This discrepancy has effectively deterred widespread computerization of patient records, particularly in ambulatory care settings. CHI Systems worked with the National Cancer Institute and, later, the U.S. Army Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center, to develop a product that addressed this problem. Result The CHI Systems Cognitive Engineering Practice first conducted a cognitive task analysis to identify the components of an effective patient record. The Mobile and Wireless Applications Practice then used the results to design and implement an interface in a lightweight, mobile, wireless, pen-based computer. The "encounter view" interface pictured here leveraged the familiar feel and organization of traditional paper-based records while providing the archival, retrieval, and automation benefits of digital systems. The encounter view interface accommodated a wide range of user types, from the techno-phobic to the technically sophisticated.   Return to Case Studies