Monday, April 18, 2011

Smart Phones and Informatics

                The use of smart phones over the last several years has steadily increased in the cell phone market. Users are able to make the traditional phone call, send messages, send and receive emails, browse web sites, and connect to other devices to send and receive data. The smart phone product has reached such a large potential, that it may just be a perfect fit in the developing healthcare IT arsenal. There are many vendors out in the market now promoting the use of software on smart phones that enables them to interface with existing hospital systems, whether it’s just to replace radios and intercoms, or to access patient information in the EMR.
                Hospitals also can leverage the fact that smarts phones are readily available in the market, with a reported 81% of physicians who own smart phones by 2012 (Voalte, 4). The main focus behind the smart phone is to interface it with the EMR, to receive alerts on patients the physician is monitoring or to remotely request new orders / medications be administrated to the patient.
Physicians, as well as other nursing staff, would have quick access to communications (either by phone, text, or email) as well as patient information all available on one device. There would no longer be a confusion of different signals and alarms from various devices and intercoms throughout the hospital. Streamlining communication and patient access and putting it in the hands of the user could offer a variety of enhancements for both patient care as well as job satisfaction with the team members.

Reference:
Smart Hospitals Embracing Smart Phones At The Point of Care. 2010. Accessed online: http://www.healthcare-informatics.com/Media/DocumentLibrary/Smart-Hospital_WP_by-Voalte.pdf