Image via Wikipedia
amednews: Doctors have to manage smartphone distractions :: Jan. 2, 2012 … American Medical News.
As the use of smart phones among physicians increases, so does the concern for medical errors. Although there is sparse evidence to demonstrate clear causation, several are raising the question. Much like any other profession, physicians at times will check text messages, emails, etc., while working – multi-tasking. Unlike other professions, physician services may frequently use smart phones for drug reference, clinical correlation, differential diagnosis, formula calculation, grading, staging, medical records, or even telemedicine.
In this article by amamednews.com one doctor notes ”Getting distracted is not a feature of technology but a feature of the fact that people don’t multitask particularly well,” said Dr. Feldman, who uses an iPad at bedside to make notes and order medications and tests. “I used to be a primary care doctor, where I had a nurse popping her head into the office every three minutes to tell me something. The constant bombardment of distractions — that’s what being a doctor is. If you can’t safely manage that, then you should do something else with your life.”
January 2, 2012
Emergency Physicians, Hospital Physicians, Hospitalists