User Research & Design Portfolio
Improving User Experience for
Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Discovery / Research Synthesis
EHR UX Research Synthesis | Peer-Reviewed Articles
1. Problem: Interruptive, Low‑Value Alerts Cause Fatigue and Workflow Breaks
Key Insight
Hard‑stop alerts improve adherence but can delay care and cause workarounds when too broad or poorly designed (Powers et al., 2018).
Clinicians report alert usefulness as one of the lowest‑performing UX areas, directly tied to burnout and satisfaction (Holmgren et al., 2024).
Copy‑forward bloats the note, burying critical signals and weakening alert salience (Remer, 2023).
UX Solution Direction
Shift from pop‑up alerts to inline, context‑aware cues surfaced only when needed (Handza, 2023).
Keep hard stops minimal, meaningful, and governed.
Reduce note noise with content hygiene: re‑attestation, stale‑content flags, and copy‑paste monitoring.
Key Insight
Documentation burden stems from frequent task switching (~1.4/min) and 40–300+ clicks, with data spread across screens (Olakotan et al., 2025).
Human‑factors EHR prototypes using problem connectors, data‑first views, and dual high‑resolution screens raised usability from SUS ~48 to 77.8
Productivity tools (scribes, voice) only help after core UX debt is addressed (Holmgren et al., 2024).
2. Problem: Fragmented Navigation & Note‑as‑Document Create Documentation Burden
UX Solution Direction
Design problem‑linked single‑view canvases that consolidate history, assessments, key labs, meds, and quality gaps.
Default to APSO / summary‑first layouts with progressive disclosure.
Define dark‑mode ergonomics with readable color rules; yellow/white text minimizes fatigue (Fan et al., 2024).
Key Insight
Irrelevant content and weak hierarchy increase cognitive load and error rates; concise notes reduce risk (Nijor et al., 2022).
Copy‑paste overuse stems from time pressure + poor UX, not clinician laziness, making it a system design issue (Remer, 2023).
3. Problem: Information Overload and Copy‑Forward Damage Clinical Safety
UX Solution Direction
Use salience patterns: APSO‑first, change highlighting, problem tags, delta‑first views.
Implement template relevance rules to prevent boilerplate creep.
Introduce audit + re‑attestation flows for critical copied content.
Pain Points
Alert fatigue
“...reduced alerting, and an emphasis on end-user product usability may be helpful interventions to minimize cognitive load and ultimately improve patient safety.”
Audit | Old Patient List Interface
Empathy Map
Primary User Archetype: The High‑Acuity, Time‑Constrained Clinician
Problem Statement
Although electronic health records (EHRs) have largely replaced paper systems and improved efficiency and access, clinicians continue to face usability challenges that hinder workflow and increase cognitive load. Research and professional insights reveal persistent issues with alert fatigue, complex navigation pathways, and inefficient content management. These usability barriers reduce productivity, contribute to clinician frustration, and can negatively impact patient care. A clearer understanding of these pain points is needed to guide improvements that better support clinicians’ everyday tasks.