Table 1.
Sociotechnical dimensions21 comprising the ‘structure’ of the Safer Dx framework
| Dimension | Description |
|---|---|
| Hardware and software | Computing infrastructure used to support and operate clinical applications and devices |
| Clinical content | The text, numeric data and images that constitute the ‘language’ of clinical applications |
| Human–computer interface | All aspects of technology that users can see, touch or hear as they interact with it |
| People | Everyone who is involved with patient care and/or interacts in some way with healthcare delivery (including technology). This would include patients, clinicians and other healthcare personnel, information technology (IT) developers and other IT personnel and informaticians |
| Workflow and communication | Processes to ensure that patient care is carried out effectively |
| Internal organisational features | Policies, procedures, work environment and culture |
| External rules and regulations | Federal or state rules (eg, CMS's Physician Quality Reporting Initiative22 or requirements for associating a diagnosis with a request for a diagnostic test23) that facilitate or constrain preceding dimensions |
| Measurement and monitoring | Processes to evaluate both intended and unintended consequences |
CMS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.