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The PDA as a portal to knowledge sources in a wireless setting
Paul Fontelo1, Michael Ackerman, George Kim
1Office of High Performance Computing and Communications, Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 20894, USA. fontelo@nlm.nih.gov
Summary
Physicians are increasingly using wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs) to access online medical information. This study explored the use of these mobile devices for accessing knowledge sources like MEDLINE in a wireless environment.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Wireless Networking
Background:
- The proliferation of wireless networks and handheld devices (personal digital assistants - PDAs) has enabled mobile internet access.
- Surveys indicate that over 25% of physicians utilize PDAs, primarily for personal information management and static medical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utilization of handheld devices for accessing medical knowledge resources, such as MEDLINE, within a wireless setting.
Main Methods:
- Studied the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other handheld devices.
- Focused on accessing online medical databases (e.g., MEDLINE) in a wireless network environment.
Main Results:
- Physicians are adopting PDAs for mobile internet access.
- Explored the practical application of wireless handheld devices for retrieving medical information.
Conclusions:
- Handheld devices offer a viable pathway for physicians to access critical medical knowledge wirelessly.
- The study highlights the growing trend of mobile data access in healthcare settings.