Usability Evaluation of Hospital Information Systems in Hospitals Affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Hospital information systems (HISs) are computerized systems used as electronic tools for managing patient information. Usability is necessity for the success and acceptability of HISs and can enhance the quality of provided care. This study aimed to evaluate the usability of HISs in Hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Iran). This descriptive, analytical study was conducted in 2010. The population consisted of 110 users of HISs in 1 general and 2 specialized hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Simple random sampling was used to select the interviewees. Data was collected by Bhattacharjee's usability scale which includes usability, continued intention to use HIS, perceived usefulness and benefits, and user satisfaction. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation coefficient in SPSS. More than two-thirds of the users (71.8%) were satisfied with HISs. In addition, 64.2% of the users had the intention to continue using the system and 78.0% of them had perceived the benefits of HIS and believed in its usefulness. However, the system could meet the needs and expectations of only 59.8% of users. Significant correlations existed between system efficiency and intention to continue using the system (P = 0.001), between intention to continue using the system and perceived usefulness (P = 0.001), and between user expectations and perceived usefulness (P = 0.001). User satisfaction, perceived usefulness, meeting user expectations, and intention to continue using the system are distinguished indices to determine the success or failure of HISs. The results indicated that hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences were successful in implementing HIS and improving productivity. Since HIS assessment is conducted to modify the system, it is necessary to further evaluate HIS and focus on the problems that lead to dissatisfaction.