Abstract
A human factors assessment was performed on several International Space Station (ISS) medical packs to evaluate the organization of items and provide recommendations for redesign. The overall goal was to recommend solutions that will improve the efficiency of identifying and locating items in the medical packs, thereby, potentially increasing the survival rate of crewmembers in the event of a medical emergency. Currently, each ISS crew remains on-orbit for six-month intervals. As there is not a standing requirement for a physician crewmember, the maintenance of crew health is dependant on individual crewmembers delivering care via telemedicine and their own limited training. In addition, medical procedures must be carried out within the limitations imposed by the unique physical environment of the space station. Given these challenges, the procedures and equipment designed to aid the crewmember in delivering that care should follow human-centered design principles in order to be as easy and simple to use as possible. The evaluation revealed six main categories of issues: Labeling, Location/Collocation of items, Clear Presentation of Information, Error Prevention, Stowage, and Equipment Design. Recommendations for each category are provided, and should be considered for efficiency and effectiveness in any medical environment.
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