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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation (MCRF) announces the formation of the Interactive Clinical Design Institute (ICDI) at its Biomedical Informatics Research Center (BIRC).

The design of effective computer systems in health care requires an understanding of the way that patients and health care professionals interact with computers. The ICDI brings together scientists, physicians, and information specialists with varied expertise to address the challenge of developing health care technology that improves health care quality, reduces costs and is easy to use.

The ways that doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and patients interact with health care technology is an especially important factor in designing such technology. The ICDI’s Interaction Laboratory is a state-of-the-art usability laboratory designed to study the process of people interacting with health care computer hardware, software, and Internet resources. Located in the new North Building of the Laird Center for Medical Research, this is one of a handful of usability laboratories in the country dedicated to health care.

Justin Starren, M.D., Ph.D., BIRC director, stated that the ICDI also offers training and education opportunities, including the Security Health Plan Fellowship in Interactive Clinical Design. This fellowship provides one to two years of post-doctoral training in the design and evaluation of interactive health care technology.

The first recipient of the fellowship is David Pieczkiewicz, Ph.D., who earned his doctorate degree in health informatics from the University of Minnesota. His research interests include medical data visualization, human-computer interaction and usability, decision support systems and telemedicine.

The ICDI was made possible by a generous investment by Security Health Plan (SHP).

“As computers become an indispensible part of the health care process, it is critical to understand the ways that patients and providers interact with them,” said Steven Youso, Security Health Plan chief administrative officer. “Security Health Plan’s investment in this work is aimed at delivering health care information technology that improves efficiency and provides better care for patients.”

“The understanding gained from the Interactive Clinical Design Institute will guide the design of new computer systems that are faster, easier to use and reduce medical errors,” said Russel Kuzel, M.D., Security Health Plan chief medical officer. “These systems will improve health care outcomes for Security Health Plan members and health care consumers world wide.”

The ICDI will be hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on World Usability Day, Thursday, November 13. The open house will include tours, exhibits and guest speakers. More information is available on the BIRC website (www.marshfieldclinic.org/birc). The public is invited to attend.

The Marshfield Clinic system provides patient care, research and education with more than 40 locations in northern, central and western Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States.