Using a sociotechnical systems analysis to evaluate an intervention to improve opioid prescribing in emergency medicine

Enid Montague, Mary Bungum, Lauren Sherman, Stephanie Gravenor, D. Mark Courtney, Alyssa Czerniak, Mike Wolf, Danielle McCarthy

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The United States is facing an unprecedented epidemic of opioid addiction and death due to opioid overdose. In an effort to improve patient knowledge and safe use about opioids, an Electronic Medication Complete Communication (EMC2) opioid strategy was developed targeting opioid naïve patients in the Emergency Department (ED). We conducted pre and post sociotechnical systems analyses to evaluate the variance between the process before the intervention and whether or not the process changed as expected with the new intervention. Results were analyzed using thematic qualitative analysis. Sociotechnical systems modeling illustrates the complexity of designing interventions for emergency medicine that affect multiple patients, providers, work systems, technologies, and processes. The post work systems model illustrates that several elements in the external ED environment can affect the effectiveness of the intervention. Sociotechnical systems analysis is an effective tool to illustrate the opportunities for designing health system interventions and evaluating the fidelity of such interventions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number103495
JournalApplied Ergonomics
Volume97
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Emergency medicine
  • Health information technology
  • Macroergonomics
  • Opioids

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Human Factors and Ergonomics
  • Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
  • Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)

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