The use of personal digital assistants among medical residents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine residents’ perception of the utility of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and their influence on clinical practice at two teaching hospitals, one of which subsidized resident purchase of a PDA. A total of 21 residents in the unsubsidized group (32%) and 24 residents in the subsidized group (96%) owned a PDA. Medical residents who were provided with PDAs perceived them to be less useful than residents who were not provided with them. Palm owners in both groups responded that they used these devices to organize their record keeping and the most frequently used programs were pharmacopoeias, medical reference and clinical calculators. Residents quickly adapted PDA to clinical care and further research is needed to assess their impact on resident education and patient outcomes.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alan Jotkowitz

ALAN B. JOTKOWITZ is a Lecturer in Medicine at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Jeong Oh

JEONG OH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of General Internal Medicine, Ambulatory Treatment and Emergency Care, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Conan Tu

CONAN TU is a physician in the Department of Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Dmitriy Elkin

DMITRIY ELKIN is a physician in the Department of Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Lori A. Pollack

LORI A. POLLACK is a medical officer at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Howard Kerpen

HOWARD KERPEN is an attending physician in the Department of Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.