Obtaining Cognitive Load Measures of Clinicians When Making Medical Diagnosis, Treatment and Management Decisions With Patients

Overview

About this study

Modern health care has become increasingly complex with a rapid explosion of medical knowledge, increasing patient complexity, and financial constraints leading to increased patient panels. The implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) designed initially for billing has created additional burdens for documentation and usability issues. The cognitive capacity of clinicians remains unchanged and clinician burnout has risen. Advanced Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSSs) have the potential to reduce cognitive burden through enhanced systems design. A new CDS tool, MEA, is being developed using a case-oriented approach with the foundational elements being clinician cognitive decisions, to provide support for decision making at the point of care. The objective of the current protocol is to obtain a baseline measure of the cognitive burden currently experienced as clinicians make a medical diagnosis, treatment, and management decisions with their patients. After the rollout of MEA to the practice, clinicians will again assess the cognitive burden in making medical diagnosis, treatment, and management decisions with their patients.

 

Participation eligibility

Participant eligibility includes age, gender, type and stage of disease, and previous treatments or health concerns. Guidelines differ from study to study, and identify who can or cannot participate. There is no guarantee that every individual who qualifies and wants to participate in a trial will be enrolled. Contact the study team to discuss study eligibility and potential participation.

Inclusion Criteria - Clinicians:

  • Prescribing clinicians in the areas of, family medicine, primary care internal medicine, and cardiology will be included. The following providers are eligible: physicians, residents, fellows, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Clinicians who are non-prescribers (e.g. nurses, dietitians) and pediatricians will be excluded.

Inclusion Criteria - Patients:

  • Minimum age of 18.
  • Known or suspected condition(s) of interest who present  with a  medical diagnosis, treatment, and/or management decision needing to be made.

Exclusion Criteria 

  • Patients who have, in their clinician's best judgment, major communication barriers such as visual or hearing impairment or dementia that would compromise their ability to give written informed consent.

 

Participating Mayo Clinic locations

Study statuses change often. Please contact the study team for the most up-to-date information regarding possible participation.

Mayo Clinic Location Status Contact

Rochester, Minn.

Mayo Clinic principal investigator

Renaldo Blocker, Ph.D.

Closed-enrolling by invitation

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"Close"
Not open to everyone who meets the eligibility criteria, but only those invited to participate by the study team.

Contact information:

Laurie Pencille CCRP

(507) 284-8420

Pencille.Laurie@mayo.edu

More information

Publications

Publications are currently not available