A growing number of professionals are using iPads as educational tools — and that includes radiologists, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Given that interactive media with image-rich hyperlinks may be particularly well-suited for disciplines like radiology, Dr. Seth Berkowitz and the other study authors sought to take the first step to find out more about the iPad's potential future impact on radiology.
"When we read a textbook on how to read a CAT scan, it only shows one picture, while you may really be looking at more like 300-1500. Why are we teaching people with one tool and expecting people to learn from another tool, and how can we use the iPad to change that?" said Berkowitz.
The study followed 38 radiology residents at Beth Israel Deaconess Center in Boston who were given iPad tablets and subscriptions to e-Anatomy and STATdx. They were followed for six months and surveyed afterward on the iPad's effectiveness as an educational and clinical tool.
Out of the 36 who completed the survey, 86 percent reported using their iPads daily, while 88 percent of respondents used professional applications like e-Anatomy.
Though most of the survey respondents preferred to read journal articles on their iPads, the respondents were evenly split when it came to reading textbooks -- half preferred to read them in bound form while the other half preferred using their iPads.
However, the study noted that most respondents didn't use the iPad to view radiologic examinations, and fewer than half used their iPads during readout. A scant 12 percent used the iPad to sign reports.
"The impact hasn't been as great on day-to-day workflow," said Dr. Seth Berkowitz, co-author of the study, to DOTmed News. "We're inundated with screens already — we're rarely in an area where we don't have access to computers, to educational materials. We've found radiology residents didn't need mobile platforms in most of their clinical activities," he said.
