Use Of Smartphone Apps Research Articles

Smartphone and tablet self management apps for asthma

Smartphone and tablet self management apps for asthma

PL.29 Mobile Apps: The Future of Pregnancy Patient Information

IntroductionThroughout a ‘normal’ pregnancy women receive up to 45 paper-based patient information leaflets from healthcare professionals about pregnancy, birth and postnatal care. At St Michael’s Hospital, Bristol we are developing...

ARE STUDENTS SATISFIED WITH THE USE OF SMARTPHONE APPS?

No matter what smartphone you use, applications (apps) installed can affect your satisfaction with the use of the smartphone. A smartphone is a consumer device, and smartphone apps are Consumer Information Systems (CIS) that provide value and utility to end-users. Major players in the area of smartphone apps are developers creating apps as well as consumers downloading and using apps. The research focuses on consumer aspects of smartphone apps in terms of their satisfaction with the use of the apps. The study elaborates on factors affecting consumers’ satisfaction such as needs fulfillment, performance improvement, easy to use, easy to understand, security/privacy, and influence of the peer. The study also finds out who are satisfied with smartphone apps in terms of age, gender, frequent user, years of usage, and preference for free apps. A survey was conducted to college students representing consumers. In the study, most respondents were satisfied with the use of smartphone apps, and their satisfaction level was affected by factors such as needs fulfillment, performance improvement, ease of use, security/privacy, and peer influence. It is also found out that consumers of younger age, frequent users, frequent downloaders, having more number of apps on their smartphones, and choosing Android and iOS as their future smartphone platforms were more satisfied while gender, longer years of owning smartphone, preference for free apps, and smartphone platforms currently used did not significantly affect consumers’ satisfaction.

Smartphone and medical related App use among medical students and junior doctors in the United Kingdom (UK): a regional survey

BackgroundSmartphone usage has spread to many settings including that of healthcare with numerous potential and realised benefits. The ability to download custom-built software applications (apps) has created a new wealth of clinical resources available to healthcare staff, providing evidence-based decisional tools to reduce medical errors.Previous literature has examined how smartphones can be utilised by both medical student and doctor populations, to enhance educational and workplace activities, with the potential to improve overall patient care. However, this literature has not examined smartphone acceptance and patterns of medical app usage within the student and junior doctor populations.MethodsAn online survey of medical student and foundation level junior doctor cohorts was undertaken within one United Kingdom healthcare region. Participants were asked whether they owned a Smartphone and if they used apps on their Smartphones to support their education and practice activities. Frequency of use and type of app used was also investigated. Open response questions explored participants’ views on apps that were desired or recommended and the characteristics of apps that were useful.Results257 medical students and 131 junior doctors responded, equating to a response rate of 15.0% and 21.8% respectively. 79.0% (n=203/257) of medical students and 74.8% (n=98/131) of junior doctors owned a smartphone, with 56.6% (n=115/203) of students and 68.4% (n=67/98) of doctors owning an iPhone.The majority of students and doctors owned 1–5 medical related applications, with very few owning more than 10, and iPhone owners significantly more likely to own apps (Chi sq, p<0.001). Both populations showed similar trends of app usage of several times a day. Over 24hours apps were used for between 1–30 minutes for students and 1–20 minutes for doctors, students used disease diagnosis/management and drug reference apps, with doctors favouring clinical score/calculator apps.ConclusionsThis study found a high level of smartphone ownership and usage among medical students and junior doctors. Both groups endorse the development of more apps to support their education and clinical practice.

Pros and cons of using apps in clinical practice

There is a lack of research on the use of smartphone apps among nurses in the UK, but the number of healthcare-related apps is increasing and it is likely that nurses will want to include them in practice. It will, therefore, be necessary to assess their effectiveness, appropriateness and efficacy to ensure they enhance patient care. This article looks at the literature on the subject and suggests some issues managers should consider before allowing the use of apps in their clinical areas. It also invites readers to take part in a survey on the use of apps in nursing.

Smartphone App Use Among Medical Providers in ACGME Training Programs

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.