Tablet in the Consultation Room and Physician Satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to investigate patient-physician interactions during a clinical encounter to ascertain the impact of tablet computing on physician satisfaction during a clinical encounter. This study was conducted at a primary care clinic, and the physicians who participated could use a tablet during their clinical encounters. The authors compared satisfaction between physicians who used the tablet during a clinical encounter and those who did not using data from 122 clinical encounters involving 82 patients. The results indicate that physicians who used the tablet during clinical encounters are more satisfied than those who did not. Additionally, there was a meaning difference in satisfaction between physicians who used the tablet to educate patients and share information than those who did not. HITs have potential benefits, but they also come with risks. To effectively manage the risks and benefits of HITs, healthcare providers should be deliberate and strategic in the implementation of HITs.