51% of physicians use tablets to access EHRs, survey shows

The mobile revolution just reached a tipping point, according to a recent survey. In fact, about 51% of respondents are using their tablets to access EHRs. In contrast, only 7% of physicians are accessing their EHRs via use of smart phones.

The data recently released by AmericanEHR Partners, based on a survey of 1,400 physicians, suggests “that tablets are of greater use for clinical purposes than smartphones.”

Other survey results include:

Mobile phone usage by physicians who use an EHR: 77% use a smartphone, 15% use a regular mobile phone, and 8% use neither.

About 75% of physicians use their smartphone to communicate with other physicians at least once weekly.

About 70% of physicians use their smartphone to research medications at least once weekly.

Of the physicians surveyed, about 25% who use a regular phone plan to buy  a smartphone within the next 6 months.

Additional highlights from the “Tablet Usage by Physicians 2013”
report include:

About 33% of EHR users and 25% of non-EHR users use a tablet device in their practice.

Practices with three doctors or fewer are likely to conduct a broader range of activities on their tablet, such as banking, communicating with patients, or taking photos for clinical purposes.

About 33% of EHR users are very satisfied with their tablet device, while 44% are somewhat satisfied.

AmericanEHR Partners was developed by Cientis Technologies and the American College of Physicians