Authors: Pellegrino, Jane A.; Ritchie, James V.; Craig, Thomas A.

Source: Military Medicine, Volume 177, Number 1, January 2012 , pp. 32-35(4)

Publisher: AMSUS - Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Abstract:

ABSTRACT

Deployed medical professionals often do not have adequate access to medical reference materials. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and perceived benefit of providing reference materials in electronic format to deployed personnel. Prototype e-readers were provided to five physicians deploying to Afghanistan over a 6-month period from September 2009 to March 2010. Selected medical textbooks were converted to electronic format and provided to the physicians via the e-readers. The subjects later completed a questionnaire regarding their experience with the e-readers. Physicians with Internet access were able to reliably download additional content to their e-readers while deployed, although downloading was usually slow. Texts were used for a variety of purposes and could be read in most lighting conditions. The e-readers were easy to navigate, but lacked adequate search functions. The e-readers were adequately durable and were easily transported by the individual. Overall, e-textbooks were valuable to the physicians in this study. However, opportunities for improvement include increasing the availability of textbooks in appropriate electronic format, simplifying distribution, and building an index and search functions within e-texts.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2012-01-01

More about this publication?

• Military Medicine is the Association's official monthly journal. The objective of the Journal is to promote awareness of Federal medicine by providing a forum for responsible discussion of common ideas and problems relevant to Federal healthcare. Its mission is: To increase healthcare education by providing scientific and other information to its readers; to facilitate communication; and to offer a prestige publication for members' writings.
  
  Military Medicine's 5-year Impact Factor: 1.061
  
  
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