Table 5.

Top 10 reasons to use the SEIPS family of work system models for studying and improving patient work

Provides framework for evaluating patient work in its full complexity, including multifactorial interactions Can be used to design a work system that accounts for variation in care delivery or recipients of care Enables the detection of difficulties and areas of improvement within the system Allows for a determination of how changes may affect other parts of the system Helps identify and address social determinants of health Identifies different outcomes for different stakeholder groups—e.g. patients, professionals, organizations Simultaneously comprehensive and flexible Allows to extend beyond a ‘one size fits all’ approach to designing interventions Facilitates mapping of interventions for specific sites or locales ‘Crucial to understanding the patient’s perspective’ [19]