| Who can resist the smartphone? If its smooth | | | | smartphone savvy physician an anomaly, or is the |
| and sleek appearance doesnt entice you, its brains | | | | average physician using medical applications too? |
| surely will. No matter which one you choose the | | | | The MDsearch Survey Results |
| Blackberry, the iPhone, the Palm smartphones are | | | | According to the MDsearch Smartphone Survey, |
| smarter than ever. Not only do these cutting | | | | 53% of physician respondents own a smartphone |
| edge gadgets promise to keep you connected, | | | | and 63% of those physicians are using mobile |
| but with the right applications, they can organize | | | | medical applications. Drug reference apps (like |
| your schedule, manage your money, track your | | | | Epocrates) were cited most often in the |
| diet, navigate your route, and provide instant | | | | MDsearch Survey, but respondents also reported |
| reviews of restaurants, movies, recipes, vacation | | | | using medical calculators, clinical resource apps, |
| spots, and more. These lifestyle applications are | | | | CME apps, medical dictionary apps, and apps for |
| widely popular with smartphone users, but its the | | | | patient scheduling. A smaller number are also using |
| growing category of medical applications that has | | | | mobile applications for electronic health records |
| the healthcare community buzzing. | | | | and e-prescribing. |
| A 2009 report from Manhattan Research found | | | | The survey results suggest that physicians are |
| that 64% of physicians are using smartphones. | | | | finding value in medical apps, but they may not |
| The statistic shouldnt be all that surprising a single | | | | yet feel comfortable consulting their smartphones |
| gadget offering phone, email and web access | | | | during patient visits. Only 20% of the physicians |
| would presumably increase productivity and save | | | | who own smartphones say they frequently |
| time, and what busy physician wouldnt want that? | | | | consult the device during patient visits. Another |
| Whats most interesting about the smartphone | | | | 37% report that they occasionally consult their |
| trend among physicians is the way the | | | | smartphones while with patients, but as more |
| smartphone and its medical applications are being | | | | physicians adopt smartphones and new medical |
| used in patient care. | | | | apps become available, these numbers are likely |
| One popular application among physicians is called | | | | to increase. |
| Epocrates. This drug and disease reference | | | | Other interesting findings from the MDsearch |
| application allows physicians to look up drug | | | | Smartphone Survey: |
| interactions and side effects; it can even inform | | | | *Among MDsearch physicians who own |
| the doctor whether or not the patients insurance | | | | smartphones, there are twice as many iPhone |
| will cover the drug and report how much their | | | | users as Blackberry users. |
| co-payment will be. Having this information at their | | | | *In addition to smartphones and cell phones, |
| fingertips can help physicians prevent errors and | | | | physicians are using the following gadgets: |
| increase productivity. | | | | 60% of respondents use a GPS system |
| With the number of medical applications steadily | | | | 48% own an iPod or iPod Touch |
| increasing, there is no doubt that these apps have | | | | 38% use a pager |
| the potential to change the way healthcare is | | | | 34% use a PDA |
| delivered, but how prevalent is the trend? For | | | | 7% own a Kindle. |
| every physician who wouldnt practice medicine | | | | *The percentage of respondents who own |
| without a smartphone, there are dozens of | | | | smartphones (53%) exactly mirrors the |
| physicians who wouldnt dream of consulting a | | | | percentage who work in facilities or practices with |
| smartphone during a patient visit. So, is the | | | | Electronic Health Records (53%). |