NIST: One-size-fits-all EHRs won't work for pediatric care

Many EHRs automated functions do not account for the unique characteristics of pediatric providers, necessitating a redesign of EHR user interfaces to allow for accommodation, according to a June National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report.

Because of differences in physical characteristics, developmental issues and issues relating to their legal status as minors, “a one-size-fits-all user interface design will not accommodate the clinical needs of pediatric patients or support the cognitive and decision making requirements of their providers,” the report read.

A user interface designed to accommodate pediatric care would:

• Allow for the customization of clinical parameters, such as body weight, which can change rapidly in pediatric patients;

• Account for standard daily tasks that are pertinent specifically; and 

• Recognize that young children may not be able to adequately communicate important information to clinicians, such as errors present in a medical record.

“In order for an EHR system to be useful, it should have functions that enable providers to meet the complex needs of their work domain, and it is determined by the functions of the system, the report read.

Based on the characteristics unique to pediatric patients that NIST identified, the report recommended a set of functions that should be integrated into EHRs, including. Some of these functions would allow pediatric care providers to communicate inaccurate “normal” ranges in lab reports, create newborn records and customize alert settings based upon weight, height and age

Several other potential EHR functions suggested, such as chart customization and advanced patient identification, would benefit not just pediatric patients, but all patients, the report noted.

The complete report is available here.