Abstract 14276: A Pediatric Cardiology Handbook for the Digital Age

Abstract

Background: Pediatric cardiology (PC) fellows, tasked with studying a large and dynamic field, may benefit from a quick-access digital resource that reflects contemporary practice. Objective: To design a PC Handbook smartphone app and evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing the accessibility of information such as guidelines and treatment recommendations for PC fellows. Methods: The PC handbook app was designed for iPhone using XCode and Swift programming. A pre-app electronic survey and instructions for download were sent to U.S. PC fellows followed by a post-app survey within 3 months of use. Fellows were asked to rate the ease of rapid access to various types of information, such as guidelines and normal values, with responses given on a 4-point scale (1 = very difficult, 4 = very easy). Responses were compared pre- and post-app using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: Two-hundred and thirty PC fellows were contacted; 23% (total n = 53) completed both the pre-app and post-app surveys and were included for analysis. Over half (57%) of fellows used the PC handbook app 1-3 times per month while 17% used it at least 1-3 times per week. After using the app, fellows found it easier to quickly access information in 8 out of 9 domains evaluated (Fig 1). All fellows found the app easy to use (100%), most felt that the app is well-organized (98%), contains reliable information (92%), and is useful for finding quick answers to clinical questions (87%). Almost all (91%) would recommend the app to a colleague. Conclusions: The Peds Cardiology Handbook iPhone app is a useful, reliable tool that provides quick access to high yield information, including various guidelines and references, in one location. Overall, PC fellows found it easier to rapidly access clinically relevant information after using the app, though future studies may be necessary to evaluate long-term use and impact on evidenced-based practice.