Texting Dr. Smartphone

Posted: 05/20/09 by Allison Remsen

The medical world is always one to be on the cutting edge of new technologies so it is no surprise that 64 percent of doctors nationwide are using smartphones in their practice.  Over time, the emblematic pager will be a thing of the past-a distant beep dating any medical drama TV show. 

According to a recent Washington Post article, mobile devices are quickly becoming pivotal instruments in doctor-patient interactions.  From pulling up instructional diagrams to researching drug-to-drug interactions, smartphone technology is arming doctors with vital information at their fingertips.  This means doctors can make smart, informed decisions instantly, with the patient by their side.   Thankfully, it also means they can show us something to decipher often tedious medical-ese.

Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist at George Washington University, gives a pretty amazing first person account of how the smartphone can make a difference in a life and death situation:

One Saturday afternoon... Reiner was having lunch at a deli when his BlackBerry began to beep. It was a patient's EKG, sent to him by an emergency room physician.  Reiner pulled up the graphic on his handheld device and saw that the patient was on the brink of a severe heart attack.  He rushed to the hospital to perform surgery. 

Real-time data can make all the difference when seconds count.   I'd like to see a pager do that!