User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner
Background: The rigorous elicitation of user needs is a crucial step for both medical device design and purchasing. However, user needs elicitation is often based on qualitative methods whose findings can be difficult to integrate into medical decision-making. This paper describes the application of...
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| Format: | Article |
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Biomed Central
2013
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29447/ |
| _version_ | 1848793787497709568 |
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| author | Pecchia, Leandro Martin, Jennifer L. Ragozzino, Angela Vanzanella, Carmela Scognamiglio, Arturo Mirarchi, Luciano Morgan, Stephen P. |
| author_facet | Pecchia, Leandro Martin, Jennifer L. Ragozzino, Angela Vanzanella, Carmela Scognamiglio, Arturo Mirarchi, Luciano Morgan, Stephen P. |
| author_sort | Pecchia, Leandro |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: The rigorous elicitation of user needs is a crucial step for both medical device design and purchasing. However, user needs elicitation is often based on qualitative methods whose findings can be difficult to integrate into medical decision-making. This paper describes the application of AHP to elicit user needs for a new CT scanner for use in a public hospital.
Methods: AHP was used to design a hierarchy of 12 needs for a new CT scanner, grouped into 4 homogenous categories, and to prepare a paper questionnaire to investigate the relative priorities of these. The questionnaire was completed by 5 senior clinicians working in a variety of clinical specialisations and departments in the same Italian public hospital.
Results: Although safety and performance were considered the most important issues, user needs changed according to clinical scenario. For elective surgery, the five most important needs were: spatial resolution, processing software, radiation dose, patient monitoring, and contrast medium. For emergency, the top five most important needs were: patient monitoring, radiation dose, contrast medium control, speed run, spatial resolution.
Conclusions: AHP effectively supported user need elicitation, helping to develop an analytic and intelligible framework of decision-making. User needs varied according to working scenario (elective versus emergency medicine) more than clinical specialization. This method should be considered by practitioners involved in decisions about new medical technology, whether that be during device design or before deciding whether to allocate budgets for new medical devices according to clinical functions or according to hospital department. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:05:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-29447 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:05:51Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Biomed Central |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-294472020-05-04T16:35:36Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29447/ User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner Pecchia, Leandro Martin, Jennifer L. Ragozzino, Angela Vanzanella, Carmela Scognamiglio, Arturo Mirarchi, Luciano Morgan, Stephen P. Background: The rigorous elicitation of user needs is a crucial step for both medical device design and purchasing. However, user needs elicitation is often based on qualitative methods whose findings can be difficult to integrate into medical decision-making. This paper describes the application of AHP to elicit user needs for a new CT scanner for use in a public hospital. Methods: AHP was used to design a hierarchy of 12 needs for a new CT scanner, grouped into 4 homogenous categories, and to prepare a paper questionnaire to investigate the relative priorities of these. The questionnaire was completed by 5 senior clinicians working in a variety of clinical specialisations and departments in the same Italian public hospital. Results: Although safety and performance were considered the most important issues, user needs changed according to clinical scenario. For elective surgery, the five most important needs were: spatial resolution, processing software, radiation dose, patient monitoring, and contrast medium. For emergency, the top five most important needs were: patient monitoring, radiation dose, contrast medium control, speed run, spatial resolution. Conclusions: AHP effectively supported user need elicitation, helping to develop an analytic and intelligible framework of decision-making. User needs varied according to working scenario (elective versus emergency medicine) more than clinical specialization. This method should be considered by practitioners involved in decisions about new medical technology, whether that be during device design or before deciding whether to allocate budgets for new medical devices according to clinical functions or according to hospital department. Biomed Central 2013-01-05 Article PeerReviewed Pecchia, Leandro, Martin, Jennifer L., Ragozzino, Angela, Vanzanella, Carmela, Scognamiglio, Arturo, Mirarchi, Luciano and Morgan, Stephen P. (2013) User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 13 (2). pp. 1-11. ISSN 1472-6947 User needs elicitation; Analytic hierarchy process; AHP; Medical decision-making; Medical device http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6947/13/2 doi:10.1186/1472-6947-13-2 doi:10.1186/1472-6947-13-2 |
| spellingShingle | User needs elicitation; Analytic hierarchy process; AHP; Medical decision-making; Medical device Pecchia, Leandro Martin, Jennifer L. Ragozzino, Angela Vanzanella, Carmela Scognamiglio, Arturo Mirarchi, Luciano Morgan, Stephen P. User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner |
| title | User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner |
| title_full | User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner |
| title_fullStr | User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner |
| title_full_unstemmed | User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner |
| title_short | User needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (AHP): a case study on a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner |
| title_sort | user needs elicitation via analytic hierarchy process (ahp): a case study on a computed tomography (ct) scanner |
| topic | User needs elicitation; Analytic hierarchy process; AHP; Medical decision-making; Medical device |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29447/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29447/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29447/ |