Panesar, P;
Jones, A;
Aldous, A;
Kranzer, K;
Halpin, E;
Fifer, H;
Macrae, B;
... Pollara, G; + view all
(2016)
Attitudes and Behaviours to Antimicrobial Prescribing following Introduction of a Smartphone App.
PLoS One
, 11
(4)
, Article e0154202. 10.1371/journal.pone.0154202.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Our hospital replaced the format for delivering portable antimicrobial prescribing guidance from a paper-based pocket guide to a smartphone application (app). We used this opportunity to assess the relationship between its use and the attitudes and behaviours of antimicrobial prescribers. METHODS: We used 2 structured cross-sectional questionnaires issued just prior to and 3 months following the launch of the smartphone app. Ordinal Likert scale responses to both frequencies of use and agreement statements permitted quantitative assessment of the relationship between variables. RESULTS: The smartphone app was used more frequently than the pocket guide it replaced (p < 0.01), and its increased use was associated with sentiments that the app was useful, easy to navigate and its content relevant. Users who used the app more frequently were more likely to agree that the app encouraged them to challenge inappropriate prescribing by their colleagues (p = 0.001) and were more aware of the importance of antimicrobial stewardship (p = 0.005). Reduced use of the app was associated with agreement that senior physicians' preferences for antimicrobial prescribing would irrespectively overrule guideline recommendations (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone apps are an effective and acceptable format to deliver guidance on antimicrobial prescribing. Our findings suggest that they may empower users to challenge incorrect prescribing, breaking well-established behaviours, and thus supporting vital stewardship efforts in an era of increased antimicrobial resistance. Future work will need to focus on the direct impact on drug prescriptions as well as identifying barriers to implementing smartphone apps in other clinical settings.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Attitudes and Behaviours to Antimicrobial Prescribing following Introduction of a Smartphone App |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0154202 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154202 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2016 Panesar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Infection and Immunity |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1493414 |
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