Initial Experience with Digital Patient Briefing in Computed Tomography

Abstract

Purpose To assess digital patient briefing as an alternative to conventional paper documentation. Materials and Methods 502 patients with a planned computed tomography (CT) examination were selected for digital patient briefing using the E-ConsentPro software from Thieme Compliance on an iPad by Apple (Cupertino, California, USA). For the analysis, three age groups were formed. The time required for the patient briefing, the number of open questions as well as the time needed for discussion with physicians were determined. Student’s t-test was performed to assess statistical significance. Results There was no significant difference between patient age and briefing time which was about 20 minutes on average. The number of open or unclear questions increased with patient age. While patients younger than 30 years of age had about 2 open questions, patients over 30 and 60 years had about 4 and 5 questions, respectively. The total time needed for discussion with physicians was less than 2 minutes on average. A significant difference in the time required for discussion with physicians could not be observed between the individual age groups. Conclusion Tablet-based digital briefing allows the storage of patient documents with reasonable time and effort. Furthermore, it minimizes the risk of data loss. Key Points  Citation Format