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Smartphone apps for spinal surgery: is technology good or evil?

Greg A J Robertson1, Seng Juong Wong2, Richard R Brady3

  • 1Department of Orthopaedics, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, UK. greg_robertson@live.co.uk.

European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
|April 15, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Many spinal surgery apps lack medical professional input, raising concerns about their reliability and evidence base. Increased regulation is recommended to ensure accountability in medical app development.

Keywords:
AppsSmartphoneSpinal surgery

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Informatics
  • Digital Health
  • Spinal Surgery Technology

Background:

  • Smartphones and applications (apps) offer integration opportunities for clinicians, including spinal surgeons.
  • The clinical reliability and professional oversight of medical apps, particularly in specialized fields like spinal surgery, remain uncertain.
  • Assessing the quality and evidence base of available medical applications is crucial for patient safety and effective clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and assess the characteristics of smartphone applications specifically designed for spinal surgery and related conditions.
  • To evaluate the extent of medical professional involvement in the design and content of these spinal surgery apps.
  • To identify potential concerns regarding the clinical reliability and evidence base of the medical app sector in spinal surgery.

Main Methods:

  • Searched major smartphone app stores (Android, Apple, Blackberry, Windows, Samsung, Nokia) for spinal surgery-themed applications.
  • Utilized a comprehensive list of disease terms including Spinal Surgery, Back Surgery, Spine, Disc Prolapse, Sciatica, Radiculopathy, Spinal Stenosis, Scoliosis, Spinal Fracture, and Spondylolisthesis.
  • Identified and analyzed 78 unique spinal surgery apps, classifying them by store category and noting availability, cost, customer ratings, and medical professional involvement.

Main Results:

  • A total of 72 unique spinal surgery apps were identified, with the majority (79%) classified as medical apps.
  • Nearly two-thirds (63%) of the apps were free, while prices for paid apps ranged up to £47.99.
  • A significant finding was that 56% of spinal surgery apps lacked named medical professional involvement, and only 44% had customer satisfaction ratings.

Conclusions:

  • This study is the first to specifically examine the characteristics of apps related to spinal surgery.
  • The absence of medical professional involvement in nearly half of the apps raises concerns about their content accuracy and evidence base.
  • There is a need for increased regulation of spinal surgical apps to enhance accountability and ensure the reliability of information provided to patients and clinicians.