2 Of 3 Providers Use Smartphones At Work

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

The vast majority of clinicians use smartphones and tablets at work, saying it enhances their ability to communicate with one another.

HIMSS reports nearly 70 percent of clinicians now report using smartphones or tablets at work. This conclusion comes from a survey of almost 140 clinicians, which took place in October and November.

According to data from the HIMSS Analytics Database, 28 percent of hospitals incorporate the use of smartphones within their organization. On average, 169 devices are deployed per hospital. Twenty-four percent of hospitals reported tablet computers are in use at their organization, with an average of 37 devices deployed per hospital.

“The use of smartphones/tablet computers is beginning to yield a number of benefits,” explains the accompanying report. “Clinicians reported that smartphones/tablet computers greatly enhance their ability to communicate with other clinicians and healthcare providers. They also reported that the use of these devices is providing them with a more positive work experience, both in terms of satisfaction with their jobs and work/life balance.”

MobiHealth News reports that, although 69 percent of respondents said they use apps to access clinical information, only 33 percent said they could access most or all of the clinical systems technologies they need on their mobile device.

According to iHealth Beat, one-third of respondents said using smartphones and/or tablets could have a positive effect on overall care quality and care coordination. One-third also agreed that using smartphones and/or tablets would help make care delivery more efficient going forward. And what HIMSS calls a “large portion” of respondents said they were unsure about the effect smartphones and/or tablets would have on health care delivery.

“Clinicians and IT professionals alike must be assured that devices will provide clinicians with secure access to patient information,” concluded the report. “Additionally, technological challenges must be overcome. Clinicians have indicated that one of the top reasons they do not use smartphones and/or tablet computers is because their infrastructure does not support use of these devices. Finally, healthcare organizations need to evaluate their policies to ensure that they are not overly restrictive.”