iPads Help Improve by Patient Care When Used by Medical Staff

[Maura]

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Macworld reports today on research that has just been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which looks at a trial that took place at the University of Chicago, where back in November 2010 researchers gave iPads to 115 internal medicine residents, who were then able to use the iPads to view electronic patient records, order tests via the hospital paging system, and read medical publications. According to the report, when the residents were surveyed by the researchers in 2011, three out of four of them said that using the iPads helped them to finish tasks faster, freed up extra time for direct patient care, and made it easier for them to participate in educational activities. Prior to getting their iPads, the residents had said that their increased workloads and limited working hours created competition between work and education for them. The residents said that their time was taken up with updating medical charts, documentation, and ordering tests, instead of directly caring for patients, or actually studying more. [/FONT]

“Residents face a vast and increasing workload packed into tightly regulated hours,†said Dr. Bhakti Patel, a pulmonary critical care fellow at the University of Chicago School of Medicine, and one of the study authors. “They spend much of their time completing documentation and updating patient charts. This study indicates that personal mobile computers can streamline that process.â€

[FONT=&amp]When the residents were asked about the impact of having an iPad on their work, almost 90% said that they routinely used the iPad for clinical tasks, and 78% said that it made them more efficient. Also, 68% said that it helped avert delays in patient care.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]Source: iPads used to bolster physician training, speed up patient care | Macworld[/FONT]