Handheld Computer Use in U.S. Family Practice Residency Programs

Abstract

Handheld computers are widely used in family practice residency programs in the United States. Although handheld computers were designed as electronic organizers, in family practice residencies they are used as medication reference tools, electronic textbooks, and clinical computational programs and to track activities that were previously associated with desktop database applications.

Assessing medical residents’ usage and perceived needs for personal digital assistants

“…We regularly observe medical house staff carrying hand-held devices, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), while on rounds, consulting with other staff, or writing patient summaries and this use is similar to previous reports [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. At the time of this study, our institution's computerized hospital information systems included physician workstations, used primarily for order--entry and to access laboratory results, operative notes and other documentation.…”

“…Patton [4,16] refers to this sampling method as purposeful sampling. We selected practices to represent both primary care (family medicine and internal medicine) as well as specialties (neurology, pediatrics, trauma surgery, and radiology).…”

Examining the adoption of electronic health records and personal digital assistants by family physicians in Florida

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Acting as important benchmarks, these studies offered the first glimpses into the adoption of EHR and PDAs in specific settings or by specific groups of physicians. The majority of studies examining PDA use by primary care physicians, for instance, focused on the academic setting.…”

Leichte Schwergewichte /Personal Digital Assistants in der Medizin

“…Es sind vor allem junge Ärztinnen und Ärzte, die PDAs beruflich verwenden. Eine Umfrage von Criswell et al [2] bei allen Family Practice Residency Programs im Jahre 2000 zeigte, dass bei rund 50 % der Weiterbildungsprogramme PDAs zum Konsultieren von Arzneimittelreferenzen, zum Nachschlagen in elektronischen Lehrbüchern, zum Berechnen medizinischer Formeln und zur Leistungserfassung eingesetzt wurden. In der Zwischenzeit haben sich diese Zahlen zweifellos nach oben verschoben.…”