Prospects for the use of oculographic research data in managing patient flows in the health care system are associated with the main advantage of eye tracking — the possibility of exteriorization of previously inconspicuous conscious and unconscious effects and mechanisms of direction and focusing of visual attention, contributing to a more holistic formation of ideas about the perception of visual information in a person’s stay in various spaces.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the features of the oculomotor activity of patients when routing through the building of a medical organization and determine possible ways to improve the navigation and information elements of the visualization system.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
An oculographic examination involved 52 volunteers. An author’s device for oculographic examination was installed in all subjects at the entrance to the building, followed by calibration of the parameters, background recording, and checking of the connections. The subjects were instructed to find three objects in the building of the medical organization. The obtained video oculography data were visualized by overlaying the images of the oculographic camera on the front camera and were integrated as eye movement maps, heat maps, fog maps, and area of interest analysis maps.
RESULTS
The experimental study confirmed the hypothesis that in the buildings of medical organizations, there are points in the circulation spaces in which changes in behavioral patterns and neuropsychic activity are recorded (compared to other areas of visualization), manifested by an increase in the amplitude of horizontal and vertical eye movements, the number and duration of macro-saccades and gaze fixations, and affective pupil dilations.
CONCLUSION
The highest amplitude of cognitive indicators of visual information perception was observed in the lobby and route branching points. Information elements of visualization systems that are not relevant for patients in these points of space prolong the adaptive response to the visual environment of the circulation spaces of healthcare facilities. The study results can be used to develop a strategy for effectively managing patient flows in medical organizations.
