Nearly 30% of physicians access medical information using handheld device: SDI

According to SDI’s Mobile & Social Media Study: Physicians’ Views of Emerging Technology, approximately 30% of physicians access medical information using a handheld device or smartphone. The most popular handheld device or smartphone is the Apple iPhone, with 31% of respondents owning one.

Not surprisingly, 95% of physicians who use handheld devices/smartphones download applications to access medical information. The most popular application reported is Epocrates, followed by Medscape and Skyscape.

The majority of handheld device/smartphone users also access medical information utilizing desktop and laptop computers. However, the type of medical information physicians seek differs greatly by device. When using a handheld device or smartphone, physicians are most likely to access information about drugs, drug interactions, and prescribing. When using a computer, physicians are more likely to seek articles, abstracts, and continuing medical education-related information.

Handheld device/smartphone users generally access medical data more frequently than desktop/laptop users. For example, 52% of handheld users obtain medical information several times a day, compared to 37% of those using a desktop or laptop.

SDI’s Mobile & Social Media Study: Physicians’ Views of Emerging Technology surveyed nearly 1,200 physicians from 15 specialties in October 2009 regarding their use of mobile technology and their participation in online physician networking. The study provides detailed information about:

• How physicians access online medical information
• What medical information physicians seek and when they seek it
• Physicians’ preferred sources of online medical information and CME credits
• E-prescribing behaviors
• Physician usage of, and purpose of participating in, online physician networking
• Usage and relevance of non-physician networking social media to their practice

In addition to providing overall panel responses, the study utilizes SDI’s prescriber-level data to analyze physicians’ responses based on their annual prescribing level and specialty.