Efficacy of communication amongst staff members at plastic and reconstructive surgery section using smartphone and mobile WhatsApp
- PMID: 24459338
- PMCID: PMC3897093
- DOI: 10.4103/0970-0358.121990
Efficacy of communication amongst staff members at plastic and reconstructive surgery section using smartphone and mobile WhatsApp
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of smartphone and its WhatsApp application as a communication method amongst the staff of plastic and reconstructive surgery section at tertiary care health facility.
Materials and methods: From January 2012 onwards, the authors used smartphones and its WhatsApp application as a communication method amongst their team for various aspects of patient management and as a tool for academic endorsements.
Results: During the period of this study, there were 116 episodes regarding patient management, which were handled, in a timely fashion by using this application. In addition opinion of rotating residents in the section was sought regarding the efficacy of this method of communication. Overall majority of residents were satisfied with this mode of communication.
Conclusions: This new method of communication is an effective method for clinical and academic endorsements. The method is cheap and quick and easy to operate.
Keywords: Communication method; WhatsApp; multimedia; smartphone.
Conflict of interest statement
Figures
References
-
- Baldwin AJ, Langton SG. Postoperative monitoring of flaps by digital camera and Internet link. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2001;39:120–1. - PubMed
-
- Varkey P, Tan NC, Girotto R, Tang WR, Liu YT, Chen HC. A picture speaks a thousand words: The use of digital photography and the Internet as a cost-effective tool in monitoring free flaps. Ann Plast Surg. 2008;60:45–8. - PubMed
-
- Engel H, Huang JJ, Tsao CK, Lin CY, Chou PY, Brey EM, et al. Remote real-time monitoring of free flaps via smartphone photography and 3G wireless Internet: A prospective study evidencing diagnostic accuracy. Microsurgery. 2011;31:589–95. - PubMed
-
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en. [Last updated on 2013 Mar 21]. Available from: http://www.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Whats App .
-
- Knobloch K, Gohritz A, Vogt PM. Cell phone-based multimedia messaging service in reconstructive microsurgery: A novel telemedicine application. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;123:220e–2. - PubMed
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
