Developing a Smart Infusion Pump Dedicated to Infusion Safety

A comprehensive usability engineering and risk analysis effort helped produce a smart infusion pump with new safety features.

By Eric A. Smith & George Gray

Abstract

A large-volume infusion pump is a medical device with a big job: infuse patients with life-sustaining fluids and medications at a known and controlled rate. And, do it safely. Because infusions are frequently administered therapies, the opportunity for use error–induced adverse events is amplified. To develop a safer infusion pump, Ivenix, Inc., committed to a comprehensive usability engineering effort that included over 400 hours of usability testing. As a result, the pump’s design includes risk controls for mitigating potential use errors not available on today’s pumps. The resulting product was the winner of the 2019 Stanley Caplan User-Centered Design Award.

Smith, E. A., & Gray, G. (2020). Developing a smart infusion pump dedicated to infusion safety. Ergonomics in Design.