Smartphone App Use Among Medical Providers in ACGME Training Programs

Abstract

The past decade has witnessed the advent of the smartphone, a device armed with computing power, mobility and downloadable "apps," that has become commonplace within the medical field as both a personal and professional tool. The popularity of medically-related apps suggests that physicians use mobile technology to assist with clinical decision making, yet usage patterns have never been quantified. A digital survey examining smartphone and associated app usage was administered via email to all ACGME training programs. Data regarding respondent specialty, level of training, use of smartphones, use of smartphone apps, desired apps, and commonly used apps were collected and analyzed. Greater than 85% of respondents used a smartphone, of which the iPhone was the most popular (56%). Over half of the respondents reported using apps in their clinical practice; the most commonly used app types were drug guides (79%), medical calculators (18%), coding and billing apps (4%) and pregnancy wheels (4%). The most frequently requested app types were textbook/reference materials (average response: 55%), classification/treatment algorithms (46%) and general medical knowledge (43%). The clinical use of smartphones and apps will likely continue to increase, and we have demonstrated an absence of high-quality and popular apps despite a strong desire among physicians and trainees. This information should be used to guide the development of future healthcare delivery systems; expanded app functionality is almost certain but reliability and ease of use will likely remain major factors in determining the successful integration of apps into clinical practice.

The Eye Phone Study: reliability and accuracy of assessing Snellen visual acuity using smartphone technology

“…These include portability, continuous internet connectivity, enough computing power to run complex applications and the simple fact that the majority of doctors have one in their pocket. 4 The capacity for clinical use of smartphone technology is being increasingly documented in the medical literature. The assessment of wounds by picture messaging has become ubiquitous amongst plastic surgeons, and studies have found promising results.…”

“…Smartphones have enabled volumes of medical literature and reference material to be accessible to students and clinicians in the palm of their hand. 4 A recent survey amongst medical trainees found that 485% of respondents use a smart phone, and of these, the most popular was the iPhone. 4 One of the reasons for the iPhone's popularity amongst medical professionals is the rapidly growing 'App Store', which has the largest collection of applications amongst any device, and currently boasts 4500 000 applications.…”

“…4 A recent survey amongst medical trainees found that 485% of respondents use a smart phone, and of these, the most popular was the iPhone. 4 One of the reasons for the iPhone's popularity amongst medical professionals is the rapidly growing 'App Store', which has the largest collection of applications amongst any device, and currently boasts 4500 000 applications. 12 This translates into the most number of medical applications available for use in clinical practice.…”

Principles of m-Health survey design

“…Readers are encouraged to read 'Electronic health records in ambulatory care' by DesRoches et al 13 , 'New horizons for health through mobile technologies' a World Health Organisation report 14 , and 'Smartphone App use among medical providers in ACGME training programs'. 15 Hopefully this will stimulate ideas and facilitate high-quality surveys related to mobile technologies in medical practice.…”

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“…In cardiology, a number of applications have been developed to monitor clinically important parameters including heart rate variability and arrhythmias. 14 In neurosurgery, apps that enable clinicians to accurately position ventricular catheters from CT scans have been developed. 15 Despite the growing body of literature regarding mHealth, recent meta-analyses have shown that there are currently few studies based on high methodological quality.…”