Paolo Fraccaro|Markel Vigo|Panagiotis Balatsoukas|Sabine N van der Veer|Lamiece Hassan|Richard Williams|Grahame Wood|Smeeta Sinha|Iain Buchan|Niels Peek
Presentation of laboratory test results in patient portals: influence of interface design on risk interpretation and visual search behaviour
NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre|University of Manchester|University of Manchester|City, University of London|Farr Institute|Farr Institute|Farr Institute|Microsoft Research (United Kingdom)|Manchester Academic Health Science Centre|University of Manchester
patient portals considered valuable instruments selfmanagement long term conditions however concerns patients might interpret act clinical information access hypothesized visual cues improve patients abilities correctly interpret laboratory test results presented patient portals also assessed applying eyetracking methods relationship risk interpretation visual search behaviour conducted controlled study 20 kidney transplant patients participants viewed three different graphical presentations low medium high risk clinical scenarios composed results 28 laboratory tests viewing clinical scenario patients asked would acted real life results proxy risk interpretation could choose 1 calling doctor immediately high interpreted risk 2 trying arrange appointment within next 4 weeks medium interpreted risk 3 waiting next appointment 3 months low interpreted risk presentation assessed accuracy patients risk interpretation employed eye tracking assess compare visual search behaviour misinterpretation risk common 65 participants underestimating need action across presentations least participants found particularly difficult interpret medium risk clinical scenarios participants consistently understood action needed showed higher visual search efficiency suggesting better strategy cope information overload helped focus laboratory tests relevant condition study confirms patients difficulties interpreting laboratories test results many patients underestimating need action even abnormal values highlighted grouped together findings raise patient safety concerns may limit potential patient portals actively involve patients healthcare