63% of Smartphone Doctors Use iPhone / BlackBerry / Smartphone Medical Apps

By Editor Wireless and Mobile News on September 11, 2009 12:46 PM

Doctors are taking to iPhone, BlackBerry and smartphone apps. According to the MDsearch.com Smartphone Survey, 53% of physician respondents own a smartphone and 63% of those physicians are using mobile medical applications.

They found that drug reference apps (like Epocrates) were cited most often in their study, while medical calculators, clinical resource apps, CME apps, medical dictionary apps, and apps for patient scheduling were also used. A smaller number are also using mobile applications for electronic health records and e-prescribing.

Doctors don't all feel comfortable consulting their smartphones during patient visits. Only 20% of the physicians who own smartphones say they frequently consult the device during patient visits. Another 37% report that they occasionally consult their smartphones while with patients.

Other facts MDsearch.com Smartphone Survey:

Among MDsearch physicians who own smartphones, there are twice as many iPhone users as Blackberry users.
Along with smartphones and cell phones, physicians are using the following gadgets:
- 60% of respondents use a GPS system.
- 48% own an iPod or iPod Touch.
- 38% use a pager.
- 34% use a PDA.
- 7% own a Kindle..
The percentage of respondents who own smartphones (53%) exactly mirrors the percentage who work in facilities or practices with Electronic Health Records (53%).