Computers and connectivity in Illinois emergency departments

Abstract

Although the Internet has been described as 'ubiquitous,' little is known about the extent to which physicians have access to the Internet while providing clinical care. Objective: To assess the extent of Internet connectivity within the clinical area of every ED within the state of Illinois. Methods: This was a prospective observational study. Each Illinois ED listed in a published directory was called by telephone, and a responsible party was identified to provide information regarding the type and size of the ED, patient demographics, the types of personal computers (PCs) available in the ED (if any), the types of operating systems used, the availability of access to the World Wide Web (Web), and the highest speed at which an Internet connection could be established. Responses regarding the presence and types of PCs and the types of operating systems used were assessed using one-factor chi-square. Univariate and multivariate predictors of the type of PC used, the presence or absence of Web access, and the highest speed of Internet access were evaluated using optimal discriminant analysis and nonlinear classification tree analysis, respectively. Results: One hundred ninety-eight of the 199 EDs in the state of Illinois (99.5%) completed the Survey. Of the responding EDs, 50.5% had PCs, but only 17.6% had Web access. When Web access was available, it was most often available through a high- speed Internet connection that was faster than a dial-up modem. Most departments (68.1%) with PCs used the Windows 95 or Windows 98 operating systems. A majority (62.5%) used the Netscape browser exclusively. Larger EDs (more than six ED beds) in rural or suburban areas were more likely to have a PC compared with smaller EDs (six or fewer beds). Large EDs (more than 12 ED beds) in private tertiary care or academic hospitals were most likely to have Web access. Conclusions: Although half of Illinois EDs have PCs, only one in six has access to the Internet; thus, most emergency physicians do not have ready access to the Web from the site where they deliver clinical care.