Medical residents are more likely than established doctors to use smartphones for clinical purposes, according to a survey by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Fierce Mobile Healthcare reports (Jackson, Fierce Mobile Healthcare, 11/28).
The survey is based on more than 3,000 responses to electronic questionnaires distributed to medical residents and attending physicians.
Ownership, Use of Smartphones
The survey found that:
- Among all respondents, 85% said they owned a smartphone and 56% said they used the device for clinical purposes;
- Among medical residents, 88% said they owned a smartphone and 70% said they used the device for clinical purposes; and
- Among attending physicians who had practiced for more than 15 years, 78% said they owned a smartphone but only 39.2% said they used the device for clinical purposes (Misra, iMedicalApps, 11/23).
Popular Applications
The survey examined which smartphone applications are most popular among medical residents and found that:
- 79% of residents said they use drug guide apps;
- 18% said they use medical calculators;
- 4% said they use medical coding and billing apps; and
- 4% said they use pregnancy due date calculators.
In addition, the survey asked residents about the type of apps they are most likely to request and found that:
- 55% request apps offering medical reference materials;
- 46% request apps offering treatment algorithms; and
- 43% request apps offering general medical knowledge.
Study Implications
According to the researchers, the survey findings suggest that hospital CIOs should strive to develop a mobile strategy as younger doctors join their staff.
Researchers also noted that problems related to the quality of medical apps could be deterring some physicians from using smartphones for clinical purposes (Fierce Mobile Healthcare, 11/28).