The Impact and Perception of Cell Phone Usage in a Teaching Hospital Setting

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate perceptions regarding cell phone use in a teaching hospital setting among health care providers, residents, medical students, and patients. Methods: Fifty-three medical students, 41 resident physicians, 32 attending physicians, and 46 nurses working at University Hospital completed a questionnaire about cell phone use practices and their perceptions of cell phone use in the hospital. Forty-three inpatients admitted to medical/surgical units at University Hospital were surveyed at bedside about their perceptions regarding physicians’ cell phone use. Results: All health care providers identified cell phones as a risk to patient confidentiality with no specific group significantly more likely to attribute risk than another. Practitioners were identified as either primarily as inpatient or outpatient practitioners. Inpatient practitioners were significantly more likely to rate cell phones as beneficial to patient care than outpatient practitioners. Physicians were statistically more likely to rate mobile phones as beneficial to patient care as compared to nurses. Among the patient population surveyed, one quarter noted that their physician had used a cell phone in their presence. The majority of those patients observing practitioner cell phone use had reported a beneficial or neutral impact on their care. Significance: Perceived risk of cell phones to patient confidentiality was equal across health care providers surveyed. Physician and medical students were significantly more likely to rate cell phones as beneficial to patients’ care than nurse providers. Patients indicated that their physicians used cell phones in their presence at low rates and reported that the use was either neutral or beneficial to the care they received.

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“…A cross-sectional, survey-based study conducted among the health professionalsestimatedthat87%ofhealthcarepr ofessionalsusingsmartphoneortabletattheirwor kplace. 5 The health professionals reported that smartphone use assisted quickly in resolving the personal issues and reducing thestress. 6 A study conducted regarding the effects of mobile phone use in clinical practice reported that accessing mobile phone during clinical practice does not only interfere the patient care but also it facilitates the effective and continuous patientcare, fastest access to the healthcare information and increases the knowledge as well as improves the care givingskills.…”

“Perception Of Health Professionals Regarding Smartphone Usage At Work Place In A Selected Hospital Mangaluru.”

“…A cross-sectional, survey-based study conducted among the health professionalsestimatedthat87%ofhealthcarepr ofessionalsusingsmartphoneortabletattheirwor kplace. 5 The health professionals reported that smartphone use assisted quickly in resolving the personal issues and reducing thestress. 6 A study conducted regarding the effects of mobile phone use in clinical practice reported that accessing mobile phone during clinical practice does not only interfere the patient care but also it facilitates the effective and continuous patientcare, fastest access to the healthcare information and increases the knowledge as well as improves the care givingskills.…”

Mobile learning in clinical settings: unveiling the paradox

“…Despite a wealth of literature on the use of mobile technology in medical education, most literature focuses on the impact and perceptions of medical students, residents, and teachers [ 1 , 5 , 6 ]. The two papers which involved perceptions of patients are either focused on healthcare workers or on patient confidentiality in using mobile devices [ 14 , 15 ]. Patients’ perceptions of using mobile devices in teaching and learning context are often neglected.…”