Apples or BlackBerrys? Clinical Use and Evaluation of the iPhone Platform in a BlackB

[rninformatics, DNP, RN]

Abstract

The University Health Network equipped the Gastroenterology consult service with Apple iPhone devices and provided access to push e-mail, phone and Internet access to clinical content and applications. We used pre-post surveys to assess the iPhone's impact on clinical communication, and we held interviews to obtain subjective user feedback, comparing it to prior experiences with Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerrys where possible. The iPhone's phone and e-mail capabilities improved team communication, allowing more efficient coordination of patient care. Compared with the BlackBerry, it was also the preferred personal device due to its touch screen navigation and breadth of applications available. However, users felt the BlackBerry was the more productive communication device, mainly due to its physical QWERTY keyboard. The mobile device market in healthcare continues to be competitive, and the vendor who can most effectively combine a good interface with long battery life and access to practical healthcare applications will find success.

Full article at:

http://www.longwoods.com/content/21764?utm_source=Longwoods+Master+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=e15d9a5c95-Longwoods_eLetter_6_22_2010&utm_medium=email

[Mijourney]

I note that nurses and physicians have already been using smart phone apps. With the size of the apple and blackberry smart phones, do you think they may be a little too small for certain uses? For instance, it may be a struggle for some to read information from their apps. What do you think?

[Debbie Gring]

I think the screens are way too small, but as I age I think that about a lot of things! LOL that being said, a lot of our health team is aging, I think to get a quick message they would be fine, but to see something (image for example) it would be best at a PC. JMHO

[nkochrn, RN]

My blackberry screen is small but I'm also able to zoom in on text. This is a little bit of a hassle though since I have to keep moving back and forth on the screen.