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Inadequate patient engagement in hospital care inhibits high quality care and successful transitions to home. Tablet computers may provide opportunities to engage patients, particularly during inactive times between provider visits, tests, and treatments, by providing interactive health education modules as well as access to their Personal Health Record (PHR). We conducted a pilot project to explore inpatient satisfaction with bedside tablets and barriers to usability. Additionally, we evaluated use of these devices to deliver 2 specific web-based programs: 1) an interactive video to improve inpatient education about hospital safety; 2) Personal Health Record access to promote inpatient engagement in discharge planning. We enrolled 30 patients: 17 (60%) age 40 or older, 17 (60%) women, 17 (60%) owned smartphones, and 6 (22%) owned tablet computers. Twenty-seven (90%) reported high overall satisfaction with the device and 26 (87%) required ≤30 minutes for basic orientation (70% required ≤15min). Twenty-five (83%) independently completed an interactive educational module on hospital patient safety. Twenty-one (70%) accessed their PHR to view their medication list, verify scheduled appointments, or send a message to their PCP. Next steps include education on high-risk medications, assessment of discharge barriers, and training clinical staff (such as RTs, RNs, or NPs) to deliver tablet interventions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the nation's health care system, including on graduate medical education (GME) training programs. Traditionally, residency and fellowship training program applications involve in-person interviews conducted on-site, with only a minority of programs offering interviews remotely via a virtual platform. However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is anticipated that most interviews will be conducted virtually for the 2021 application cycle and possibly beyond. Therefore, GME Please see the end of this article for information about the authors.