Research summary
Systemic biases in health care can lead to preventable harms and inequitable outcomes—from algorithms that disadvantage racialized patients to devices that perform poorly for certain populations. Dr. Myrtede Alfred, Canada Research Chair in Clinical Systems Equity, is applying human factors engineering—which studies how humans interact with systems—to identify and address inequities embedded in clinical design.
She and her research team are developing a conceptual model and equity analysis tools for hospitals and creating processes that meaningfully engage patients in redesigning care. By combining human factors engineering with theories of race, identity and justice, their research will provide a new framework for detecting and correcting systemic contributors to disparities. Their findings will also support safer, more equitable and more efficient health-care systems, helping to reduce both the societal and financial costs of preventable harms.