IEC has released a new medical device usability standard, IEC 62366-1:2015, “Usability Engineering in IEC 62366-1:2015 — Part 1: Application of the new Usability Engineering Standard to Medical Devices” and “IEC/TR 62366-2:2 Part 2: Guidance on the application of usability engineering to medical devices”. Its 9 Stages provide a repeatable process for performing UE and documenting the process and results in a UE File. These address an on-going concern by regulatory agencies in both the US and EU, human factors engineering, or it’s synonym, usability engineering.
Usability can be defined as “the ability for a human to interact easily and relatively error-free with a system, product or procedure.” The FDA views human factors engineering as mandated to reduce user error and make medical products use as close to intuitive as possible, especially since 2000. In one of their guidance documents on the subject, it states: “CDRH considers human factors testing a valuable component of product development for medical devices”. This webinar will focus on the two parts of the standard and it’s key requirements and application to medical devices.
Why You Should Attend:
The International Electrotechnical Commission has recently published this updated standard, in two parts. It addresses an on-going concern by regulatory agencies in both the US and EU — human factors engineering / usability engineering. Usability can be defined as “the ability for a human to interact easily and relatively error-free with a system, product or procedure.” The FDA views human factors engineering as mandated to reduce user error and make medical products use as close to intuitive as possible. This provides major benefits to company and user, such as:
Specific beneficial outcomes of applying human factors/usability engineering to medical devices include:
- Easier-to-use devices
- Safer connections between device components and accessories (e.g., power cords, leads, tubing, cartridges)
- Easier-to-read controls and displays
- Better user understanding of the device’s status and operation
- Better user understanding of a patient’s current medical condition
- More effective alarm signals
- Easier device maintenance and repair
- Reduced user reliance on user manuals
- Reduced need for user training and retraining
- Reduced risk of use error
- Reduced risk of adverse events
- Reduced risk of product recalls
Employment of these principles is carefully looked for and reviewed by regulatory agencies in device submissions, especially as products and procedures become ever more complex.
- Key parts of IEC 62366-1
- Written for easier to understand intent / implementation
- Part 1 focuses on “what”, Part 2 on “how”
- Closer ties to ISO 14971, Medical Device Risk Management
- Closer adherence to US FDA guidance; more harmonization
- Planning requirements
- Defined engineering process
- User interface considerations
- Senior Management
- Middle Management
- QA/RA
- Operations
- Production
- Engineering
- Marketing
- Medical Device Consultants
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