FIGURE 1

Communicating with colleagues, accessing information and using applications were the principal reasons given for using a mobile phone at work

FIGURE 2

There was similar demand for mobile phone use amongst those who do not currently carry a mobile phone at work if one was provided for them to use

FIGURE 3

Perceived employer attitudes to mobile phone usage by employees varies from allowed to not allowed

FIGURE 4

The survey recorded strong support for the use of mobile phones at work by health care professionals

A survey of mobile phone usage by health care professionals in the UK

ABSTRACT

A survey of mobile phone usage by registered health care professionals in the UK (n=480), demonstrates that a significant percentage use mobile phones for various work related purposes. Given evidence that mobile technology within healthcare can improve patient care, and that better communication can save time and money, these results can be used to help support further expansion, funding and acceptance of mobile phone use within healthcare.

I. INTRODUCTION

Mobile phones have been shown to improve patient care and their use in a clinical environment is becoming more widely accepted [1]-[2]. Poor communication is a significant waste of clinician time and health care resources [3]. Few studies have quantified the use of mobile phones for communication by health care professionals (HCPs) in the UK.

II. METHOD

We carried out an online survey inviting HCPs to state both their usage of, and attitudes to, mobile phones in the work place. Respondents were approached via email and the internet over 6 weeks during August and September 2010. We received 480 complete responses from registered HCPs.

III. RESULTS

80% of the registered HCPs surveyed carry a mobile phone while at work. Of these, 81% use a mobile phone for communicating with colleagues, 45% for accessing information on the intranet/internet, and 18% for running work related software/applications. However only 10% of HCPs claim mobile phone usage as a work related expense, and 26% believe their employer does not allow mobile phone usage. Of the remaining 20% who do not carry a mobile phone at work, 92% stated that they would use one for a work related purpose if provided. Across all registered HCPs surveyed, only 16% disagreed with the statement: “I would be more productive if I had a mobile phone for use at work.”

IV. CONCLUSION

Mobile phone usage by HCPs for work related purposes is significant, despite the potential barriers of economics and policy. More should be done to improve clinical communication using mobile technology in order to improve patient care, raise employee productivity and maximise economic resources.

REFERENCES

[1] Roy G Soto et al., “Communication in critical care environments: mobile telephones improve patient care,” Anesthesia and Analgesia 102, no. 2 (February 2006): 535-541. [2] K Fitzpatrick and E Vineski, “The role of cordless phones in improving patient care,” Physician Assistant (American Academy of Physician Assistants) 17, no. 6 (June 1993): 87-88, 92. [3] Ritu Agarwal, Daniel Z Sands, and Jorge Díaz Schneider, “Quantifying the economic impact of communication inefficiencies in U.S. hospitals,” Journal of Healthcare Management / American College of Healthcare Executives 55, no. 4 (August 2010): 265-281; discussion 281-282.

ABOUT DEVICES4

We believe better communication means better care. Our mission is to improve patient care by placing modern technology in the hands of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.

Our current focus is to increase the acceptance and affordability of mobile phones for health care professionals.

You can learn more about us via our website.

Dr J. Humphreys1, Dr P. Puwanarajah1 and Mr J. Sherwin-Smith1 1Devices 4 Limited, 275 Wandsworth Bridge Road, London, UK Joanna.Humphreys@devices4.org, Prasanna.Puwanarajah@devices4.org, James.Sherwin-Smith@devices4.org

CONFLICTS

The authors are affiliated with Devices 4 Limited, a non-profit organisation with registered charitable status in England & Wales (no. 1135435), who funded the research.

http://www.devices4.org

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Emails

Text messages

Telephone calls

Communicating with patients

Running work related software/applications

Accessing information on the intranet/internet

Emails

Text messages

Telephone calls

Communicating with colleagues

During a typical shift, what do you use your phone for? Please tick all that apply

It's allowed; 26%

It's allowed, but in limited circumstances; 36%

It's allowed, but frowned upon; 7%

It's not allowed, but people still use

them; 22%

It's not allowed; 9%

How is mobile phone usage viewed by your employer?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Emails

Text messages

Telephone calls

Communicating with patients

Running work related software/applications

Accessing information on the intranet/internet

Emails

Text messages

Telephone calls

Communicating with colleagues

During a typical shift, what would you use a phone for? Please tick all that apply

26%

29% 28%

13%

4%

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Comprising

Comprising

Comprising

Comprising

"I would be more productive if I had a mobile phone for use at work"

Better communication means better care

devices4 is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve patient care by placing modern technology in the hands of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals

WHAT WE DO

Bring health care professionals together, to share knowledge, save money and improve patient care

OUR PURPOSE:

Our research has shown that most health care professionals rely on their mobile phones at work to communicate with colleagues, look up information, and run useful software. In all but a few cases however, the cost falls to the employee, not the employer.

Most health care professionals purchase their own mobile phone through retail channels. By taking this route, they don’t receive discounts or priority service given their professional use and requirements. Access to common infrastructure to aid knowledge sharing and support wider communication is also difficult or restricted.

devices4 has been created to solve this problem.

As a non-profit organisation with registered charitable status, we bring health care professionals together to purchase and provide the services they need to share knowledge and communicate through more efficient, coordinated purchasing.

If you are a health care professional, join devices4 today, and learn what together we can do to make you more productive, save money, and allow you to focus on patient care, not technology.

Lower cost mobile phones for health care purposes

OUR FOCUS:

We understand that money is tight, whether on a personal, local or national level, and therefore carving out budget for a new investment of this kind is difficult to achieve. We believe a strong argument can be developed for ongoing investment in this area as experience and evidence accumulates.

In the meantime, we will help make mobile phone ownership more affordable for you as an individual, by sourcing better deals for health care professionals from manufacturers and network providers. We will also seek

government support via favourable financing terms, direct subsidies and tax efficiencies where available.

Negotiations like this will take time, and the strength of the case we can put forward will be partly a function of the support we receive.

We recognise that our success is dependent upon working closely with healthcare professionals - representing your needs, and gaining your trust and support - so please join us today.

Improve patient care and raise productivity, allowing clinicians to focus on care, not technology

OUR MISSION:

Communication can be defined as the transfer of information from one entity to another. Therefore to improve communication, we need to get the right technology to the right people.

We work with a variety of stakeholders across the public, private and voluntary sectors to fulfill our objectives. But one group is our focus: doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.

As a care provider, you want to have all the information you need at your fingertips to treat your patient. In a health environment, where data is increasingly detailed and complex, modern technology makes this possible.

By providing you with rights tools to support you in your work environment, you get more time to spend on patients.

http://www.devices4.org Copyright Devices 4 Ltd.  Registered in England & Wales. Registered Charity No. 1135435. Registered of"ce: 275 Wandsworth Bridge Road, London, SW6 2TX