The chapter discusses the significant impact of mobile devices and apps on healthcare professionals (HCPs) in clinical practice. Mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, have become essential tools for HCPs, offering various benefits such as improved access to point-of-care tools, better clinical decision-making, and enhanced patient outcomes. The widespread adoption of these devices is driven by their ability to provide rapid and convenient access to information, communication, and management tools.
HCPs use mobile devices for tasks such as information and time management, health record maintenance, communication, reference gathering, and medical education. Apps designed for healthcare professionals cover a wide range of functionalities, including electronic prescribing, diagnosis, treatment, practice management, coding, billing, and continuing medical education (CME).
The chapter highlights the convenience, accuracy, efficiency, and productivity improvements that mobile devices and apps offer. For instance, they enhance the completeness and accuracy of patient documentation, reduce medical errors, and improve workflow patterns. Additionally, they enable HCPs to make more rapid and accurate decisions, leading to better patient care outcomes.
However, the chapter also addresses the challenges and concerns associated with the use of mobile devices and apps in healthcare. These include reliability for clinical decisions, patient data protection, impact on doctor-patient relationships, and the need for better standards and validation practices. The FDA's guidelines for regulating mobile medical apps and the development of best-practice standards are discussed as important steps to ensure the quality and safety of these tools.
In conclusion, while mobile devices and apps offer numerous advantages, their effective integration into clinical practice requires rigorous evaluation, validation, and the establishment of best-practice standards. The ultimate goal is to ensure that these tools provide meaningful, accurate, and timely information to improve patient outcomes.The chapter discusses the significant impact of mobile devices and apps on healthcare professionals (HCPs) in clinical practice. Mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, have become essential tools for HCPs, offering various benefits such as improved access to point-of-care tools, better clinical decision-making, and enhanced patient outcomes. The widespread adoption of these devices is driven by their ability to provide rapid and convenient access to information, communication, and management tools.
HCPs use mobile devices for tasks such as information and time management, health record maintenance, communication, reference gathering, and medical education. Apps designed for healthcare professionals cover a wide range of functionalities, including electronic prescribing, diagnosis, treatment, practice management, coding, billing, and continuing medical education (CME).
The chapter highlights the convenience, accuracy, efficiency, and productivity improvements that mobile devices and apps offer. For instance, they enhance the completeness and accuracy of patient documentation, reduce medical errors, and improve workflow patterns. Additionally, they enable HCPs to make more rapid and accurate decisions, leading to better patient care outcomes.
However, the chapter also addresses the challenges and concerns associated with the use of mobile devices and apps in healthcare. These include reliability for clinical decisions, patient data protection, impact on doctor-patient relationships, and the need for better standards and validation practices. The FDA's guidelines for regulating mobile medical apps and the development of best-practice standards are discussed as important steps to ensure the quality and safety of these tools.
In conclusion, while mobile devices and apps offer numerous advantages, their effective integration into clinical practice requires rigorous evaluation, validation, and the establishment of best-practice standards. The ultimate goal is to ensure that these tools provide meaningful, accurate, and timely information to improve patient outcomes.