Review of Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) Use in Health Care
Author Information
Author(s): Eysenbach Gunther, La Tella Ralph, Lewis Matthew, Fox Charles, Lindquist Anna M, Johansson Pauline E, Petersson Göran I, Saveman Britt-Inger, Nilsson Gunilla C
Primary Institution: Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Toronto, Canada
Hypothesis
The aim of the present review was to obtain an overview of existing research on the use of PDAs among personnel and students in health care.
Conclusion
The PDA is regarded as a feasible and convenient tool that can improve patient care by providing immediate access to medical information.
Supporting Evidence
- PDAs were found to improve decision-making and reduce medical errors.
- Most users preferred PDAs over paper-based documents for accessing medical information.
- PDAs were reported to enhance learning for both students and professionals.
Takeaway
PDAs are small computers that help doctors and nurses find important medical information quickly, which can make taking care of patients easier.
Methodology
The literature search included original peer-reviewed research articles published from 1996 to 2008, excluding reviews and studies focused on classroom use.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include the limited sample sizes and the predominance of studies from North America.
Limitations
Most studies were descriptive, and only a few were randomized controlled trials, indicating a lack of strong evidence.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were health care personnel and students, mostly physicians and medical students.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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