JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Medical decision support systems (CDSS) play a pivotal role in healthcare by enhancing clinical decision-making processes. These systems represent a significant advancement in medical information systems. However, optimizing their effectiveness requires accounting for various human-computer interaction (HCI) elements influencing their functionality and user acceptance.

Objective:

This study aimed to identify and categorize key HCI elements that impact CDSS performance to enhance system usability, adaptability, and decision-making accuracy.

Methods:

A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted, analyzing 923 studies from the databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Papers were screened and selected based on defined inclusion criteria. A rigorous quality assessment process was applied to ensure the relevance and reliability of the included studies. Ultimately, 43 papers specifically addressing HCI factors applicable to CDSS environments were included in the analysis. Data extraction and synthesis were performed to answer the questions raised within the research about HCI elements.

Results:

Fifteen distinct HCI elements were identified, each with the potential to influence CDSS functionality. These elements were categorized into two groups based on their impact on the system: Functional elements directly affect CDSS core operations. These elements include alerts, system design, data entry, user control, flexibility, facilitators, and barriers. Non-functional elements primarily influence the user experience and usability of the CDSS. These include ease of use, interface, visibility, heuristic tags, user satisfaction, explainability, simplifying, mental efforts, and individuality. By integrating these elements into CDSS applications, the study highlights their potential to enhance user interaction, data quality, and decision-making precision.

Conclusions:

This study addresses a critical gap in CDSS research by offering a comprehensive framework of HCI elements tailored to the CDSS environment. Incorporating these elements into system design can improve user satisfaction, reduce data errors, and enhance the accuracy of medical decisions. The findings lay the groundwork for future research, offering practical guidelines for developing more reliable and efficient CDSS systems in medical informatics fields.