Use of mobile devices in the emergency department

Abstract

Electronic health records (EHRs) are increasingly being used in health care systems, hospitals, and clinics throughout North America. Over the past several years emergency departments (ED) have increasingly become more computerized. As part of a trend towards computerization of EDs, we have seen the introduction of handheld computers, tablets, and Smartphones to provide health professionals access to patient information and decision support. In this paper we outline the current state of the research in using mobile devices in the ED. Our findings suggest there is very little research evidence that supports the use of mobile devices in the ED and more research is needed to better understand and optimize their use.