Avaliação heurística de usabilidade em interfaces de teleoftalmologia: um estudo de caso na plataforma EyerCloud

Abstract

Asynchronous tele-ophthalmology shifts diagnostic mediation from face-to-face contact to an exclusively digital interaction, making the software interface the clinical specialist's sole sensory channel for assessing the pathology. In this scenario, usability issues can increase the professional's unnecessary mental effort, potentially impacting patient safety. This study aimed to identify usability issues in the asynchronous ophthalmic telediagnosis interface of the EyerCloud platform using a heuristic evaluation based on Nielsen's principles, while discussing the potential theoretical implications of these issues for the extrinsic cognitive load imposed on the specialist, in light of cognitive load theory. This qualitative, descriptive case study involved a single evaluator conducting a systematic inspection of the platform's reporting module, following a task protocol structured into four evaluation phases. The identified issues were cataloged and interpreted in the context of effects documented by cognitive load theory. The evaluation identified twenty-four usability issues across the ten heuristics analyzed—with a significant concentration of flaws regarding consistency and error prevention—fifteen of which were classified as major usability problems or usability catastrophes. The most critical findings relate to the interface's fragmentation into mutually exclusive elements, the absence of status indicators in the exam queue, and the lack of distinction between images of the two eyes. The study concludes that the platform offers significant opportunities for ergonomic improvement, particularly during the stages involving the highest diagnostic density.