The effect of using Android smartphones as electronic medical record terminal and its work load of record input

Abstract

We developed Android smartphones system for personal terminal unit interlocked into electronic medical records. This system launched in May, 2011, is designed to input clinical routine practice by healthcare professionals. We investigated change of data input hours using motion and time study between the conventional system and the new system during the period of time when both systems were used simultaneously. We also carried out a questionnaire survey of operability, portability, and visibility at the same time. From the motion and time study, as compared with the conventional system, the smartphones system indicated that clinical routine data input hours contracted. In the questionnaire survey, operability, portability, and visibility obtained good evaluation from healthcare professionals. In this research, Android smartphones system for personal terminal unit has suggested that it was effective to reduce data input hours for electronic medical records.