Measurement of Mental Workload in Clinical Medicine: A Review Study

BACKGROUND: Measures of mental workload are now commonly used in industries to identify sources of error and to improve performance. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to review the evidence for the use of this technique within medicine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used search engines and the internet to identify experimental studies that included a measure of mental workload in medical practitioners or trainees/students. Studies that aimed to measure mental “stress” as a disorder, or “productivity” were excluded. Each abstract and then the full paper were appraised prior to inclusion. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies were identified that matched the inclusion criteria. Although these covered a variety of settings, common methods were identifiable. The results support the concept of mental workload measurement as an important factor in medical performance. CONCLUSIONS: The limited number of studies and the variety of definitions and measurement techniques used in these studies, make direct comparisons difficult. However, the utility of this methodology in medical education appears to have been established, and guidelines for further research methods are proposed.