Windows Phone Thoughts: Doctors Turning to PDAs

"I don't usually watch ER-type TV shows, but I've lately been intrigued by the latest ABC hit, Grey's Anatomy. If you've seen it, then you know that the whole staff of Seattle Grace Hospital is young, has lots of sex, and hardly ever sleeps. But have you noticed that they don't spend much time at computers either? n fact, the cast makes it look like IT hasn't made any progress in health care at all. The doctors stride into a room knowing all the diseases and treatments from memory and almost never refer to a PDA or other electronic device. How does this square with doctors' attitudes and behaviors in the real world? A new Forrester Research survey of 1,300 doctors reports that four out of five doctors say technology "makes life easier." Although consumers as a whole are split evenly between technology optimists and pessimists, among doctors there are four technology optimists for every pessimist. And more than 70 percent of doctors said they think electronic medical records systems will help them provide better patient care and run more efficient practices."

An interesting article at InfoWorld which focuses on the disparity between reality and reputation in the medical workspace. They state that, "If doctors are so keen on IT, why do they have the reputation for being the most notorious, heels-dug-in Luddites?". To an extent, I can see why such a reputation exists, but the tides are certainly turning (as InfoWorld has identified). Every year, I see more and more medical students and doctors adopting PDAs to aid in their work. If you're a medico and you're reading this site, it's more than likely you fit in that category, so how has it helped you with your work? To kick things off, I use it almost daily for accessing indispensable texts and updated medical news. Of course, I'll still waiting for GCQ to become mainstream - now that'll be heaven. :mrgreen: