An Empirical Study of the Usability of Consenting Systems

Abstract

While much research has been conducted on the software system architecture needed for capturing and managing patient consents and research permissions in health care facilities, limited information is available on the usability of such capture systems. Typically, a general consenting process involves the patients indicating their choices and then signing/initialing to verify these preferences. This study proposes four new ways of capturing these consents/research permissions using Apple iPad and touchscreen-based systems, investigating their feasibility and usability by comparing them to the conventional paper-based consenting process. Fifteen participants completed the consenting process using five capture systems: iPad-based system with pagination and scrolling interfaces, touchscreen-based system with pagination and scrolling interfaces and the paper-based system. After each consenting condition, the participants completed the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), the computer system usability questionnaire (CSUQ), and a post-test subjective questionnaire ranking the consenting systems based on preference. Statistically significant differences among the consent capture systems were found for all dependent variables except for task completion time. The iPad and touchscreen systems with pagination interfaces were preferred.