The use of a personal digital assistant for wireless entry of data into a database via the Internet

Abstract

Background: Researchers typically record data on a worksheet and at some later time enter it into the database. Wireless data entry and retrieval using a personal digital assistant (PDA) at the site of patient contact can simplify this process and improve efficiency. Methods: A surgeon and a nurse coordinator provided the content for the database. The computer programmer created the database, placed the pages of the database on the PDA screen, and researched and installed security measures. Results: Designing the database took 6 months. Meeting Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requirements for patient confidentiality, satisfying institutional Information Services requirements, and ensuring connectivity required an additional 8 months before the functional system was complete. Conclusions: It is now possible to achieve wireless entry and retrieval of data using a PDA. Potential advantages include collection and entry of data at the same time, easy entry of data from multiple sites, and retrieval of data at the patient's bedside.