Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: doi:10.22028/D291-33039
Title: Smartphone and App Usage in Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery: Survey Study of Physicians Regarding Acceptance, Risks, and Future Prospects in Germany
Author(s): Dittrich, Florian
Back, David Alexander
Harren, Anna Katharina
Landgraeber, Stefan
Reinecke, Felix
Serong, Sebastian
Beck, Sascha
Language: English
Title: JMIR Formative Research
Volume: 4
Issue: 11
Publisher/Platform: JMIR Publications
Year of Publication: 2020
Free key words: mHealth
smartphone
communication
medicine
surveys and questionnaires
technology
orthopedics
trauma surgery
DDC notations: 610 Medicine and health
Publikation type: Journal Article
Abstract: Background: In the course of digitization, smartphones are affecting an increasing number of areas of users’ lives, giving them almost ubiquitous access to the internet and other web applications. Mobile health (mHealth) has become an integral part of some areas of patient care. In contrast to other disciplines, routine integration of mobile devices in orthopedics and trauma surgery in Germany is still in its infancy. Objective: This study aimed to investigate physicians’ current state of opinion regarding acceptance, future prospects, and risks of medical apps in the field of orthopedics and trauma surgery in Germany. Methods: A web-based survey among orthopedics and trauma surgeons in German university hospitals on the use of medical apps in everyday clinical practice was conducted between September 2018 and February 2019. The survey consisted of 13 open- and closed-ended or multiple-choice questions. A logistic regression analysis was performed to ascertain the effects of interindividual characteristics on the likelihood of participants’ app and smartphone usage behavior. Results: A total of 206 physicians participated in the survey. All of the participants (206/206, 100%) owned a smartphone, and 79.1% (159/201) used the device, while 64.7% (130/201) used apps regularly in everyday clinical practice. Medical apps were perceived as beneficial, given their substantial future promise, by 90.1% (181/201) of the participants. However, 62.5% (120/192) of the participants were not satisfied with the current supply of medical apps in app stores. Desired specifications for future apps were “intuitive usability” (167/201, 83.1%), “no advertising” (145/201, 72.1%), and “free apps” (92/201, 45.8%). The attributes “transparent app development and app sponsoring” (75/201, 37.3%) and the existence of an “easy-to-understand privacy statement” (50/201, 24.9%) were of minor relevance. The majority of the participants (162/194, 83.5%) considered that future apps in the field of “medical research” would provide the greatest benefit. The greatest predicted risks were “data misuse” (147/189, 77.8%), “usage of untrustworthy apps” (135/189, 71.4%), and “alienation from patients” (51/189, 27.0%). Increasing age was significantly associated with a reduction in the likelihood of regular smartphone (odds ratio [OR] 0.91, 95% CI 0.86-0.97; P=.002) and app (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.96; P=.001) usage, while the medical profession grade had no significant impact on the usage behavior. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that young German doctors in orthopedics and trauma surgery already use smartphones and apps in everyday clinical practice. Medical apps are considered to play an important role in the future. However, a significant discrepancy exists between the supply and demand of mHealth applications, which creates a legal and ethical vacuum with regard to data protection.
DOI of the first publication: 10.2196/14787
Link to this record: urn:nbn:de:bsz:291--ds-330395
hdl:20.500.11880/30360
http://dx.doi.org/10.22028/D291-33039
ISSN: 2561-326X
Date of registration: 11-Jan-2021
Faculty: M - Medizinische Fakultät
Department: M - Orthopädie
Professorship: M - Prof. Dr. Stefan Landgraeber
Collections:SciDok - Der Wissenschaftsserver der Universität des Saarlandes

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