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- Title
Interprofessional Communication of Clinicians Using a Mobile Phone App: A Randomized Crossover Trial Using Simulated Patients.
- Authors
Patel, Bhavesh; Johnston, Maximilian; Cookson, Natalie; King, Dominic; Arora, Sonal; Darzi, Ara
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Most hospitals use paging systems as the principal communication system, despite general dissatisfaction by end users. To this end, we developed an app-based communication system (called Hark) to facilitate and improve the quality of interpersonal communication.<bold>Objective: </bold>The objectives of our study were (1) to assess the quality of information transfer using pager- and app-based (Hark) communication systems, (2) to determine whether using mobile phone apps for escalation of care results in additional delays in communication, and (3) to determine how end users perceive mobile phone apps as an alternative to pagers.<bold>Methods: </bold>We recruited junior (postgraduate year 1 and 2) doctors and nurses from a range of specialties and randomly assigned them to 2 groups who used either a pager device or the mobile phone-based Hark app. We asked nurses to hand off simulated patients while doctors were asked to receive handoff information using these devices. The quality of information transfer, time taken to respond to messages, and users' satisfaction with each device was recorded. Each participant used both devices with a 2-week washout period in between uses.<bold>Results: </bold>We recruited 22 participants (13 nurses, 9 doctors). The quality of the referrals made by nurses was significantly better when using Hark (Hark median 118, range 100-121 versus pager median 77, range 39-104; P=.001). Doctors responded to messages using Hark more quickly than when responding to pagers, although this difference was not statistically significant (Hark mean 86.6 seconds, SD 96.2 versus pager mean 136.5 seconds, SD 201.0; P=.12). Users rated Hark as significantly better on 11 of the 18 criteria of an information transfer device (P<.05) These included "enhances interprofessional efficiency," "results in less disturbance," "performed desired functions reliably," and "allows me to clearly transfer information."<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Hark improved the quality of transfer of information about simulated patients and was rated by users as more effective and efficient, and less distracting than pagers. Using this device did not result in delay in patient care.
- Subjects
MOBILE health; CLINICAL trials; INTERPERSONAL communication; ONLINE information services; STATISTICAL models; COMMUNICATION; COMPARATIVE studies; CROSSOVER trials; HOSPITAL medical staff; INTERPROFESSIONAL relations; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; MEDICAL referrals; RESEARCH; STATISTICAL sampling; SIMULATED patients; CELL phones; EVALUATION research; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; MOBILE apps; HOSPITAL nursing staff
- Publication
Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2016, Vol 18, Issue 4, p1
- ISSN
1439-4456
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.2196/jmir.4854