The Difference Between a Cell Phone, Smartphone and PDA

The findings in the present study are not unanimous when it comes to whether or not using a PDA as a tool can save valuable time for personnel and students in health care. A device might also include software, voice recognition, and a digital voice recorder. During its recent Build developer conference, Microsoft unveiled Skype Bots and demonstrated how Cortana can help manage your calendar and connect you to other bots from inside a Skype video chat.

The memory size will continue to increase, and 2 GB SDCs are expected by 2004. Other popular PDA devices included 's Palmtop and Palm's PalmPilot.

How PDAs Work - Large and bright screens also take more power.

We are experimenting with display styles that make it easier to read articles in PMC. The ePub format is best viewed in the iBooks reader. You may notice problems with the display of certain parts of an article in other eReaders. Generating an ePub file may take a long time, please be patient. Background Health care personnel need access to updated information anywhere and at any time, and a Personal Digital Assistant PDA has the potential to meet these requirements. A PDA is a mobile tool which has been employed widely for various purposes in health care practice, and the level of its use is expected to increase. Loaded with suitable functions and software applications, a PDA might qualify as the tool that personnel and students in health care need. In Sweden today, despite its leadership role in mobile technologies, PDAs are not commonly used, and there is a lack of suitable functions and software applications. Methods The literature search included original peer-reviewed research articles written in English and published from 1996 to 2008. All study designs were considered for inclusion. We excluded reviews and studies focusing on the use of PDAs in classroom situations. From March 2006 to the last update in May 2008, we searched PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, IngentaConnect, and a local search engine ELIN Kalmar. Results From the 900 references initially screened, 172 articles were selected and critically assessed until 48 articles remained. The studies showed that health care personnel and students used PDAs in patient care with varied frequency. Most of the users were physicians. There is some evidence that the use of a PDA in health care settings might improve decision-making, reduce the numbers of medical errors, and enhance learning for both students and professionals, but the evidence is not strong, with most studies being descriptive, and only 6 randomized controlled trials. Several special software programs have been created and tested for PDAs, and a wide range of situations for their use have been reported for different patient groups. Drug and medical information were commonly accessed by PDA users, and the PDA was often viewed as the preferred tool when compared to paper-based documents. Some users regarded the PDA easy to operate, while others found it difficult in the beginning. Conclusions This overview of the use of PDAs revealed a positive attitude towards the PDA, which was regarded as a feasible and convenient tool. The possibility of immediate access to medical information has the potential to improve patient care. The PDA seems to be a valuable tool for personnel and students in health care, but there is a need for further intervention studies, randomized controlled trials, action research, and studies with various health care groups in order to identify its appropriate functions and software applications. Introduction The use of modern technology in health care is exploding. Various technological tools are supposed to make health care more effective and secure, to provide appropriate information, and to make it available on a just-in-time basis. The potential to improve organizations and make them more effective by means of ICT stands in contrast to its limited use. User-friendly ICT systems aim to provide more time for health care personnel to spend with patients. Today, ICT is used in all areas of health care for various purposes and in various ways, but even more efficient usability is needed. PDAs have been employed widely in health care practice, and the level of their use is expected to increase. Health care professionals need access to information several times a day, and the PDA has the potential to provide this. If loaded with suitable functions and software applications, the PDA might meet the need for having access to up-to-date information on a just-in-time basis, thus making the PDA a qualified support tool for personnel and students in health care. In Sweden today, PDAs are not commonly used by personnel and students in health care, and there is a lack of suitable functionality and software applications designed for PDAs. The aim of the present review was to obtain an overview of existing research on the use of PDAs among personnel and students in health care. Methods A literature search was conducted from March to June 2006, followed by a second search in May 2007, and a third in May 2008, using the following search engines and databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, IngentaConnect, and a local search engine named ELIN Kalmar. Further articles were identified from reference lists in the retrieved articles. We included original, peer-reviewed research articles written in English and published from 1996 to 2008. Review articles and studies focusing the use of PDAs in classroom situations were excluded. Literature search—search terms and relevant reference titles The selection of articles was performed in several steps. The number of potentially relevant publications identified was over 900 of which 471 seemed relevant and, after excluding 135 duplicates, 336 remained. The articles were reviewed independently by two of the authors AL and PJ. Disagreements were resolved and a consensus was obtained. Of the 336 articles primarily found, 48 articles remained, the adequacy of which was checked by two of the authors BIS and GN. The 48 articles were included in the present review, 43 from the database search and an additional 5 from the reference lists. The model was used as a theoretical framework in providing a structure to present the results. Practical acceptability is determined by usefulness and a number of more traditional attributes such as cost, reliability, and compatibility with existing systems. The usefulness category describes whether the system can be used to achieve the desired goals and is further divided into the categories of utility and usability. Utility refers to whether the functionality of the system can do what is needed, and usability applies to all aspects of a system with which a user may interact, being a question of how well a user can make use of its functionality. Usability has many components and is traditionally divided into 5 key attributes: learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. Learnability implies that the system should be easy to learn and that a user is rapidly able to begin working with the system. If it is efficient, the system should lead to the possibility of high productivity. Memorability in turn means that the system should be easy to remember. A variety of health care personnel and students participated in the studies, mostly physicians and medical students. The number of participants in the articles varied from 3 to 1185, and the response rate ranged from 24 to 100%. Several special software programs have been created and tested for PDA use. Physicians using the CDSS for prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs made fewer unsafe treatment decisions than those not using this software. The system supported nurses in eliciting patient preferences for functional performance at bedside. A wide range of situations for use of the PDA have been reported for different patient groups. The program supports the documentation of clinical findings and provides guideline-based recommendations. The majority of the physicians in this study frequently applied the documentation functions and found most of the recommendations appropriate. The systems included a large number of information items. More than half of the participants perceived that the systems were useful and very easy to use. The second component was a recording module, in which nursing processes at bedside could be recorded. The participants used the system for 1-day clinical trials, caring for simulated patients. In another pilot study, a software application was tested to help family physicians diagnose angina pectoris among patients with chest pain. No incidents of blood transfusion to the wrong patients or of the wrong labelling of blood samples occurred with the 41,000 blood-sample procedure carried out during a 3-year period. Access to Information Access to medical reference information and databases is a widely appreciated function of PDA use. They chose what they were interested in, and the information was delivered to their PDA by their next synchronization. The participants reported that they learned about new medical developments sooner than they otherwise would have and that, without the PDA, they would not have learned about them at all. Physicians and paramedical staff found the program convenient and functional, especially for patients who had long stays in hospital. Social Acceptability We identified different barriers to the PDA being socially accepted and to using a PDA at work. Nurses thought it would be a fashionable tool for those most interested in ICT. Practical Acceptability We found that the PDA was accepted when it solved practical issues. However, contradictory results have also been reported. Learnability The PDA was associated with a fairly high degree of learnability. Practice and support could reduce problems when using a PDA. Some users regarded the tool as easy to understand, while others found it difficult in the beginning. To optimize the technology and to overcome barriers, users of PDAs suggested that technical support should always be provided. There seemed to be a learning threshold at the introductory stage of PDA use. Physicians using a PDA mobile phone device preferred their traditional system, rather than having to learn how to operate a new device. Many participants had difficulties handling the new and complex hardware and its software applications. Satisfaction Both positive and negative attitudes toward the PDA were reported. The same aspects could be regarded as positive for some of the users and negative for others. The attitudes seemed situation-dependent. Nursing students did not find battery life to be a problem as long as they recharged the battery after each shift. Discussion In the present study, we found the PDA to be a valuable tool for personnel and students in health care. The PDA allowed immediate and easy access to medical information that might improve patient care and the quality of health care. We found a number of areas where PDAs were used with different functions and software applications for personnel and students in health care. The main findings were that drug and medical information were accessed most often. We also identified functions that could be added and areas to be improved to take full advantage of the PDA. We hope that this overview of the use of PDAs will provide some direction for future research. That we ended up with only 48 relevant publications after the quality assessment indicates that few original peer-reviewed research articles have been completed so far. In the articles reviewed, the research approach varied. Most studies were descriptive, and sample sizes and response rates varied. Since PDA intervention studies often entail a small sample size, due to costs and available technical equipment, this might be accepted in our study. Both the use and the research of PDAs in health care are expanding areas for study which we experienced through our updated literature searches. The various functions and software applications available on a PDA seem to ease the workload for health care personnel and students. Since most hospitals are becoming more and more computerized, PDAs seem to be a good complement to stationary computers. The findings in the present study are not unanimous when it comes to whether or not using a PDA as a tool can save valuable time for personnel and students in health care. Not all users think that a PDA saves time, but PDA users do believe it can deliver faster and more efficient patient care. Thus, an effective use of the tool might imply that more time can be devoted to patients. The PDA seems to be a feasible and convenient tool, with one of its top advantages being the speed with which one can retrieve information on the spot. Accessibility to updated information can be improved when using a PDA, which provides an opportunity to check for the latest medical information in a convenient way. Access to drug and medical information might improve patient care and make it more effective and, hopefully, time-saving. The possibility of checking medical orders and patient identification by using, for example, a PDA with a bar-code system, can reduce errors. We are convinced that there is a need for the PDA and that this is a tool for all professionals and students in health care. Learnability concerns the ease with which one can learn to use a PDA. In the beginning, a PDA might seem to be complex and confusing hardware. To overcome barriers, the challenge is to provide the right support and to create suitable functions and software applications for various health care professionals in various specialities. Most of these barriers seem to be more behavioral than technical in nature. To overcome these barriers, guided practice, explanations, and adequate training time are needed, and access to technical support is necessary. Other barriers, such as short battery life and small memory capacity, should be easily overcome by constantly expanding technology. The PDA can also improve learning for students in clinical practice and health care professionals. These important data confirm that a PDA is suitable for both students and professionals to improve learning. It is difficult to draw definitive conclusions from the studies we reviewed. Altogether, the articles do not represent strong evidence for the benefits of using a PDA. To implement fully PDAs in health care, we need more research into functions and software applications. References, mostly from the USA and including physicians and medical students, indicate that several professions are missing from PDA research, including nurses, physiotherapists, and others. Since we noticed similar findings in our own observations, and since students are increasingly requesting PDAs, it is important that functionality and software applications operate smoothly and securely when synchronized with a stationary computer; that the interface is easy to follow; and that patient data is secured. We argue for more research using intervention studies, randomized controlled trials, and action research. Finally, when introducing new technology in health care, there is a need for scientifically based evaluations that take into account not only the technology itself in relation to the individual, but also the organization, including context and costs. © Anna M Lindquist, Pauline E Johansson, Göran I Petersson, Britt-Inger Saveman, Gunilla C Nilsson. Berner Eta S, Houston Thomas K, Ray Midge N, Allison Jeroan J, Heudebert Gustavo R, Chatham W Winn, Kennedy John I, Glandon Gerald L, Norton Patricia A, Crawford Myra A, Maisiak Richard S. Improving ambulatory prescribing safety with a handheld decision support system: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Med Inform Assoc. Bosma Laine, Balen Robert M, Davidson Erin, Jewesson Peter J. Point of care use of a personal digital assistant for patient consultation management: experience of an intravenous resource nurse team in a major Canadian teaching hospital. Doran Diane M, Mylopoulos John, Kushniruk André, Nagle Lynn, Laurie-Shaw Brenda, Sidani Souraya, Tourangeau Ann E, Lefebre Nancy, Reid-Haughian Cheryl, Carryer Jennifer R, Cranley Lisa A, McArthur Greg. Evidence in the palm of your hand: development of an outcomes-focused knowledge translation intervention. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. Johnston Janice M, Leung Gabriel M, Tin Keith Y K, Ho Lai-Ming, Lam Wendy, Fielding Richard. Evaluation of a handheld clinical decision support tool for evidence-based learning and practice in medical undergraduates. Kushniruk Andre W, Triola Marc M, Borycki Elizabeth M, Stein Ben, Kannry Joseph L. Technology induced error and usability: the relationship between usability problems and prescription errors when using a handheld application. Int J Med Inform. Leung Gabriel M, Johnston Janice M, Tin Keith Y K, Wong Irene O L, Ho Lai-Ming, Lam Wendy W T, Lam Tai-Hing. Randomised controlled trial of clinical decision support tools to improve learning of evidence based medicine in medical students. Murphy Andrea L, Fleming Mark, Martin-Misener Ruth, Sketris Ingrid S, MacCara Mary, Gass David. Drug information resources used by nurse practitioners and collaborating physicians at the point of care in Nova Scotia, Canada: a survey and review of the literature. Enough sample size to answer the questions at issue. Indistinctly described and high participant drop-out rate. CCT Well defined questions at issue, sufficient sample size and adequate statistics. DS Large and well defined consecutive sample analyzed with adequate statistics, long follow-up. Q Well defined questions at issue. Relevant and well described selection, data collection, and analysis. Logically and understandable interpretations and conclusions. Good communicability and conclusions. Insufficiently described data collection, analysis, interpretations, and conclusions. Indistinct communicability and conclusions. © Anna M Lindquist, Pauline E Johansson, Göran I Petersson, Britt-Inger Saveman, Gunilla C Nilsson. The use included commercial medical references and personal organization software. Their use was higher in the intervention group. Most commonly used functions were drug reference, scheduling and medical calculations. Address book, date book, and calculator were the most commonly used. The PDA was easy to use and students perceived its use as beneficial to their clinical learning. They were less satisfied with the functional features. There were potentially significant advantages over paper-based versions. Some used it in patient care. Common barriers were lack of time, knowledge, and formal education. Education for users may facilitate future computer and PDA use. PDAs are feasible in emergency department and change management more often than texts. Majority used documentation functions. Use was higher among men. Most participants related that PDA use supported clinical decision making. An automatic tracking program in PDA, questionnaire Physicians preferred to use certain PDA CDS tools in clinical settings. Drug references and medical calculator were commonly used.

Most current caballeros and fellows have some PDA experience, and are more accepting of the small screen size and stylus interface, pda personal digital assistant ongoing transition to a paperless department as well as a filmless one. During its recent Build developer conference, Microsoft unveiled Skype Bots and demonstrated how Cortana can help manage your calendar and solo you to other bots from inside a Skype video chat. We hope that this overview of the use of PDAs will provide some direction for future research. Fifty-five percent of users relied on the voice assistants regularly in the most recent three months surveyed, up from 49% in the gusto quarter. PDAs are powered by. The main purpose of a personal digital assistant PDA is to act as an electronic organizer or day planner that is portable, easy to use and­ capable of sharing information with your. Siri is increasingly well versed and the most gusto driven among the quartet — for one thing Siri has the best sense of humor. Many PDAs can even function like a mini-computer, allowing users to make last minute changes to documents or other files while traveling.