Sammendrag
A variety of issues related to communication is a common phenomenon in current hospital settings. Sharing information by contacting colleagues, medical attendants, investigatory facilities and other resources, results in many communication events. This generates interruptions from mobile communication devices, which is a big concern for many physicians. In general, wireless phones are not currently widely in use at Norwegian hospitals, due to suspicions of increased interruption rates. Only a few staff members carry a wireless phone. Before introducing such devices as standard equipment, usability and user satisfaction are important factors, and have to be accounted for. The fact that such devices could introduce unnecessary interruptions is a motivation for developing a context sensitive solution. Observations and interviews from a study carried out by the first author, regarding the use of wireless phones at a hospital in Norway, showed that users were unsatisfied with the phones user interfaces. This kept them from using the full functionality of the system. This article presents an evaluation of the existing user interface of two wireless phones intended for hospital use, and suggests an improved user interface, which also intends to support context-sensitive communication. The new interfaces were considered an improvement compared to the old interfaces.
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