Use of portable gadgets in radiology clinical and academic activities: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study

Objective: To assess knowledge, attitudes, practices and perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding use of portable gadgets in daily clinical practice and for academic purposes. Methods: The questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was performed at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from February to March, 2015, and comprised healthcare professionals recruited using convenience-based sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Items in the instrument pertained to use of portable gadgets, knowledge of radiology applications and perceptions regarding benefits/drawbacks of such gadgets. 'Portable gadgets' referred to any handheld electronic device, such as mobile phones, tablet or personal digital assistants. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. Results: Of the 100 subjects, 38(38%) were radiology residents, 34(34%) consultant radiologists 28(28%) were radiographers. The overall mean age was 32.7±8.66 years. Overall, 80 (80%) subjects possessed a portable gadget. Although 64(64%) participants commonly used the gadgets for clinical and academic activities, only 46(46%) had heard of radiology smartphone applications. Majority 80(80%) preferred hardcopies for studying books as opposed to digital formats. However, 78(78%) believed that portable gadgets had a positive impact on their clinical practice. Conclusion: Portable gadgets were being used by a substantial proportion of healthcare professionals for clinical and academic activities.