Usability Testing an Educational Telemedicine Simulation: Description of Methods and Preliminary Findings

Simulations are often used in medical education to practice developing skills in low-stakes situations. We created a telemedicine simulation for residents in obstetrics, gynaecology, and family medicine to teach best practices in telehealth care. We wrote a case of a patient with gestational hypertension that tested resident performance in eight published telehealth competencies. Given the project’s complexity, we conducted a usability test before piloting. Combining several user testing methods standard to interface usability testing, we identified and remedied critical usability issues before piloting with residents. We also gathered quantitative data measuring simulation effectiveness, ease of use, learnability, error rates, and user satisfaction. We believe this report offers a practical, efficient, and cost-effective means to evaluate and improve the quality of educational simulations.