A study of the use of hand-held devices in an emergency department

In a project conducted in 2002 and 2003, the use of hand-held computing devices was examined in a hospital emergency department in Western Australia. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) were used for the wireless development. The study addressed three major issues: development methodology, communication between the mobile devices and existing databases, and user interfaces. The software was tested by about 20 health-care staff, including nurses, doctors, administration staff, information technology staff and front-desk receptionists. The wireless development proved a valuable experience for everyone involved. The product is currently undergoing rigorous testing to meet the standards of the healthcare industry