Use and Perceived Benefits of Mobile Devices by Physicians in Preventing Adverse Drug Events in the Nursing Home

Abstract

Objective Although mobile devices equipped with drug reference software may help prevent adverse drug events (ADEs) in the nursing home (NH) by providing medication information at the point-of-care, little is known about their use and perceived benefits. The goal of this study was to conduct a survey of a nationally representative sample of NH physicians to quantify the use and perceived benefits of mobile devices in preventing ADEs in the NH setting. Design/Setting/Participants We surveyed physicians who attended the 2010 the AMDA Annual Symposium about their use of mobile devices and beliefs about the effectiveness of drug reference software in preventing ADEs. Results The overall net valid response rate was 70% (558/800) with 42% (236/558) using mobile devices to assist with prescribing in the NH. Physicians with ≤15 years clinical experience were 67% more likely to be mobile device users, compared to those with >15 years of clinical experience (odds ratio=1.68; 95% confidence interval=1.17-2.41; p=0.005). For those who used a mobile device to assist with prescribing, almost all (98%) reported performing an average of one or more drug look-ups per day, performed an average of 1-2 lookups per day for potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs), and most (88%) believed that drug reference software had helped to prevent at least one potential ADE in the preceding four-week period. Conclusions The proportion of NH physicians who use mobile devices with drug reference software, while significant, is lower than in other clinical environments. Our results suggest that NH physicians who use mobile devices equipped with drug reference software believe they are helpful for reducing ADEs. Further research is needed to better characterize the facilitators and barriers to adoption of the technology in the NH and its precise impact on NH ADEs.

Impact of training and structured medication review on medication appropriateness and patient-related outcomes in nursing homes: results from the interventional study InTherAKT

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m-Health adoption by healthcare professionals: a systematic review

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