Approximately one-third of physicians are using some kind of mobile technology, according to a national study by The Pri-Med Institute. The Boston-based organization is the clinical education division of MC Communications LLC, a physician advocacy group.
The study, based on a survey conducted in August 2003, found that while primary care physicians tend to be gradual adopters of I.T. designed to enhance productivity and provide decision support, most plan to expand their I.T. budgets this year. The study also found that almost 75% of physicians consider themselves influential in the decision making process for purchasing I.T and related services for their practices.
Additionally, the study found that more than two-thirds of physicians are using clinical knowledge reference tools and automated billing software, while one-third are using dictation/transcription services, mobile technology and electronic medical records systems. But it also found that only one in five physicians use disease management or electronic prescribing systems.
Disease management applications for diabetes and hypertension, however, ranked high on physicians' wish lists, according to the survey. Other I.T. topics physicians found interesting include clinical information systems, new medical devices and extending PDA use to more health care functions. Fewer than one in five physicians expressed interest in electronic communication with patients, according to the survey.
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