Studies of mobile devices and physicians show a continued growth of ownership and an increasing use at work. A 2015 study showed that 98% of physicians own a smartphone and 92% of them reported that they are useful for work. Exactly how they use their devices while at work differs significantly by generation. While every physician carries their smartphone with them today, the younger they are the more likely they’ll be pulling them out in clinical settings.
Among millennial generation physicians, those under the age of 35, 92% report that they use at least one smartphone app, such as diagnostics tools and drug and coding references, for clinical purposes. Among doctors aged 35 to 44, the percentage using smartphones in clinical settings drop about 20% and use drops 33% among doctors 45 to 59.
This preference among younger physicians to use mobile devices in clinical settings tracks their use of mobile devices during their training and their desire to be more efficient.
These tech savvy doctors need to cautious to protect patient data and be sure that the clinical apps they use have the right accreditations for clinical and diagnostic use. According to a recent study 28% of physicians store patient data on their mobile devices and 14% of that data is unprotected. FDA class II accreditation is critical for ensuring quality care and patient safety when using mobile applications.
