Evaluating the feasibility of using tablets in emergency departments

Stakeholders in public healthcare believe that meaningful use of electronic medical record (EMR) systems can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ED clinical processes. However, most EDs have not yet fully integrated EMRs into their medical processes at the patient's bedside. This article reports on a case study of a large busy ED in Israel using a throw-away mock-up tablet EMR to evaluate the feasibility of using tablets in the ED. It evaluated the attitude of ED physicians toward using a tablet at the patient's bedside and whether tablets use can increase the average number of patients seen by a physician per hour. The clinical staff had a generally positive attitude toward tablet use. Simulated tablet use at the patient's bedside showed that the average number of patients seen by a physician per hour increased from ∼3.5 to ∼6, i.e., > 70%.