2000 SC/MLA Annual Meeting Presentations


Cheryl Rae Dee/Marilyn Teolis/Andrew Todd- Abstract 2003

Multi-state Study of Health Professionals' Use of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
Cheryl Rae Dee, MLS, AHIP, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor, School of Library and Information Science, University of South Florida
Marilyn Teolis, MLS, AHIP - Medical Library Coordinator, Baptist Hospital/Saint Thomas Health Services
Andrew Todd, BSN, MLS - University of South Florida

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to: 1) analyze PDA users medical information seeking behaviors; 2) examine health professionals personal digital assistants (PDA) needs in the clinical environment; and 3) discover the PDA users medical information usage by assessing the participants use of Ovid@Hand PDA software.

Setting/subjects: One hundred and thirty health care professionals at five clinical sites in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee participated in the study.

Methodology: Participants completed a pre-study questionnaire and a post study questionnaire designed to determine PDA information needs and information seeking behavior. Interviews of selected participants provided additional in depth information.

Results: Findings will report what medical information sources health professionals consulted, how often they used the PDA for clinical and non clinical purposes, and the impact of PDA use on clinical encounters. Additional findings will discuss preferred PDA features for clinical use and barriers encountered in the use of clinical PDA software.

Conclusions: The study will describe the information needs and the information seeking behaviors of PDA users. Trends regarding the information needs, which can be met by PDA technology and the impact on patient care will be discussed. Limitations and barriers to PDA use in the clinical setting will be included.