Closing the digital divide
Andrew David Weeks · BMJ · 2003
Ten ways to improve information technology in the NHS Users, not geeks, should design interfaceEditor-With reference to the article by Majeed et al, 1 the consultation is central to medicine, and information technology must facilitate it.With the constant changes in information technology it remains nascent, disjointed, and user hostile.It is no surprise that implementation remains problematic.Paper records will be superseded, but successors must emulate their familiarity and simplicity.The authors do not mention the main weakness-what users see and what they can do with it.Background issues (coding, networks, intranets, security, maintenance, data transfer, etc) are the province of geeks.Even the brand leader (EMIS) is difficult to operate in consultation, and its presentation of data, especially lab results, is dire.Interfaces operated by hand via large colour liquid crystal display touch screens are the technologies that can transform health computing by rendering the consultation process "natural."Healthcare computing will be wonderful when the user can use it easily.Get users, not geeks, to design the interface, and the project will take wing.