Human Factors and Ergonomics Systems Approach to the COVID-19 Healthcare Crisis

A human factors and ergonomics (HFE) systems approach offers a model for adjusting work systems and care processes in response to a health care crisis such as COVID-19 Using the SEIPS model of work system and patient safety, we describe various work system barriers and facilitators experienced by health care workers during the COVID-19 crisis We propose a set of five principles based on this HFE systems approach related to novel pandemic: (1) deferring to local expertise, (2) facilitating adaptive behaviors, (3) enhancing interactions between system elements and levels along the patient journey, (4) re-purposing existing processes, and (5) encouraging dynamic continuous learning