There are many clinicians, physicians, and staff using a variety of mobile devices. For more information on a specific project, please contact one of the people listed below.

Calling for Collaboration
Martha Adams, MD
GME Education Innovations

Project Description: The goal of this project is to utilize technology in the training of residents and fellows and the collaboration needed for quality efficient patient care. The project will compare three different handheld communication devices with a group of participants using traditional communication channels to determine the benefits and challenges of each device. At the end of the project, the PIs will be able to share with interested parties a recommendation for future use of communication devices at Duke University Hospital, with the goal of using innovative ways to train health care providers and promote quality patient care.

Comparing the Usability of Apple and Palm Handheld Computing Devices among Physicians: A Randomized Crossover Study Using the Technology Acceptance Model
Martha Adams, MD & Anthony Joseph, MS
School of Medicine

Project Description: The use of handheld computing devices was studied among internal medicine house staff using an extended Technology Acceptance Model. They compared usability evaluations and adoption preferences for the Apple iPod Touch and Palm Tungsten C. As a result they learned which components of handheld computer usability may be associated with intention to adopt this technology for medical applications.

Kindle
Megan von Isenburg, Brandi Tuttle, Karen Grigg, & Pat Thibodeau
Medical Center Library
(This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. N01-LM-6-3502 with the University of Maryland Baltimore)

Project Description: The primary purpose of this grant is to determine if this new type of technology would meet the needs of learners and clinicians in resource-poor settings.

     Specific Objectives:

• Use technology to increase access to medical information for health professionals and students in outpatient clinics with poor connectivity and little access to medical information resources.
• Test the usefulness and efficiency of the Kindle for use in educational and clinical settings.
• Determine what digital content is most useful for clinical and educational purposes.
• Identify any technical or support issues associated with this new type of technology.

iTouch
Colleen Grochowski, Ph.D.
School of Medicine & Medical Center Library

Project Description: The current initiative aims to train course directors in the use of a mobile device and rich media applications, and measure the impact, if any, on course directors’ tendency to use the mobile device to supplement/facilitate their curriculum.