A1.2 Great ormond street hospital anaesthesia drug guidelines: from print to smartphone

Abstract

BackgroundTrainees have adopted new learning styles, challenging educators to utilise digital mediums to augment the anaesthetic curriculum.1 The computing power of smartphones, place them at the forefront of this movement. Studies report that 91% of US doctors use mobile devices,2 accessing them on average 15 times/day.3 DesignWe have produced a smartphone medical app specific to paediatric anaesthesia. A pocket-book of clinical and drug-administration guidelines was published by the department in 1994. With increasing demand for a digital resource, the 12th edition was developed as an app. We worked with a medical app development company (UBQO) and developed the conceptual idea of the app as an electronic ‘anaesthetic assistant’. UBQO encouraged a high level of collaboration, allowing them to translate our medical knowledge and experience into a rapidly evolving set of iterations. Regular updates were installed on our devices to ensure our continued involvement in the design of the product.StrategyThe app eclipses and augments our paper guidelines and is a valuable resource for anyone with an interest in paediatric anaesthesia. The app contains a comprehensive list of drugs, equipment and physiological parameters. The user can individually tailor anaesthetics for entire lists. In emergency scenarios, the app rapidly provides age-appropriate charts for all necessary equipment and drugs. Interactive critical-incident and resuscitation workflows are useful for training and real-life events. These utilities elevate the device above more traditional paper-based tools.ConclusionThe future of medical education lies in such innovations. It enables a more efficient clinician, minimises drug errors and promotes up-to-date care. It can save time in an emergency and be used for training purposes. Continual communication between technology and medical stakeholders is key for successful outcomes. Research has shown, the use of mobile devices is now universal. The app is a natural fit for a modern medical world. References. Robin BR, McNeil SG, Cook DA, et al. Preparing for the changing role of instructional technologies in medical education. Acad Med 2011;86:435–9.. EPGmedia-Healthcare Professional Use Of Mobile Devices: A comparative study between Europe and US 2010–2012.. R Brady. MCHIEC: Jan2013 The Evolution of Medical Apps.