Physicians and healthcare professionals who use PDAs, smartphones, and related medical decision support tools say they are providing better and more efficient patient care as a result, according to a new survey of 2,800 medical professionals conducted by medical reference company Skyscape.
According to the research, 84% of medical professionals surveyed reported that their personal use of PDAs and medical-related reference titles and decision software resulted in a decrease of potential medical errors.
In addition, 88% of respondents said they increased efficiencies in their practice through the use of the technology, with 72% reporting being able to provide more care in less time.
The report also suggested a probable increase in the uptake of the technology as new applications are increasingly customized for the technology. It is currently thought that around 50% of all US healthcare professionals use medial support tools.
