Mobile Devices and Apps for Health Care Professionals: Uses and Benefits

The use of mobile devices by health care professionals (HCPs) has transformed many aspects of clinical practice.^1,2 Mobile devices have become commonplace in health care settings, leading to rapid growth in the development of medical software applications (apps) for these platforms.^1,2 Numerous apps are now available to assist HCPs with many important tasks, such as: information and time management; health record maintenance and access; communications and consulting; reference and information gathering; patient management and monitoring; clinical decision-making; and medical education and training.^1–8

Mobile devices and apps provide many benefits for HCPs, perhaps most significantly increased access to point-of-care tools, which has been shown to support better clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes.^2,8–10 However, some HCPs remain reluctant to adopt their use.^1,4 Despite the benefits they offer, better standards and validation practices regarding mobile medical apps need to be established to ensure the proper use and integration of these increasingly sophisticated tools into medical practice.^4,8,10,11These measures will raise the barrier for entry into the medical app market, increasing the quality and safety of the apps currently available for use by HCPs