Pilot Testing of Mobile Tablet Computers in Multiple Departments in a Hospital Setting

Abstract

A 100-bed Midwestern hospital sought to introduce mobile/portable tablets into several areas in the hospital, including inpatient units and outpatient resident clinic, as a substitute for more traditional types of computers. A formal evaluation was set up, but never executed. Although the studies were not completed as designed (and there is not research data to report), this paper describes the practical lessons learned in undertaking this pilot project, both from a health information technology implementation perspective and a research perspective.