Evolution of Mobile Device Use in Clinical Settings

In September 2014, Wolters Kluwer, Medical Research completed its second annual survey of end user search and access behavior with professional health information. The questionnaire addressed changes in clinical workflows resulting from the increased use of mobile devices in clinical settings. Through comparison with prior year’s data, we contemplate changes in how specific use cases fit with specific devices, the effect of multiple screens on usage behavior, and how users value different content types in the mobile environment. With responses from over 12,000 users (approximately 4,000 physicians, 3,400 nurses, and the remainder medical students, faculty, and other provider groups), we identified a drastic 20% year‐over‐year increase in the number of professionals that routinely access “three screens” (tablet, smartphone, and desktop) for professional purposes. Significantly, the findings strongly support the notion that “more screens = more access,” as both smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly embedded, for a wider range of activities, in the clinical workflow. Concurrently, increased demand for mobile access to healthcare information is creating new challenges for medical librarians. Faced with budget constraints and intensified scrutiny over spending decisions, librarians must balance demands for electronic and print resources while collaborating with IT departments to ensure mobile device access, support, and privacy adherence. Based on survey data, we conclude with “win‐win” opportunities for librarians and vendors to work more closely together to increase the effectiveness of mobile initiatives, including the need for more comprehensive usage statistics and more flexible licensing models