@article{5125, author = {Judy Edworthy}, title = {Medical audible alarms: a review.}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: This paper summarizes much of the research that is applicable to the design of auditory alarms in a medical context. It also summarizes research that demonstrates that false alarm rates are unacceptably high, meaning that the proper application of auditory alarm design principles are compromised.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Designers, users, and manufacturers of medical information and monitoring systems that indicate when medical or other parameters are exceeded and that are indicated by an auditory signal or signals.

SCOPE: The emergence of alarms as a 'hot topic'; an outline of the issues and design principles, including IEC 60601-1-8; the high incidence of false alarms and its impact on alarm design and alarm fatigue; approaches to reducing alarm fatigue; alarm philosophy explained; urgency in audible alarms; different classes of sound as alarms; heterogeneity in alarm set design; problems with IEC 60601-1-8 and ways of approaching this design problem.

}, year = {2013}, journal = {J Am Med Inform Assoc}, volume = {20}, pages = {584-9}, month = {05/2013}, issn = {1527-974X}, doi = {10.1136/amiajnl-2012-001061}, language = {eng}, }