Apps in clinical use in orthopedics and trauma surgery: The status quo in Germany

Abstract

In the course of digitalization the smartphone is penetrating more and more areas of life giving the user mobile and almost ubiquitous access to the internet and other web applications. The advantages of mHealth are an integral part in some areas of patient care but in contrast to other disciplines, routine integration of mobile devices into orthopedics and trauma surgery is still in its infancy. A survey among German orthopedists and trauma surgeons revealed which kind of apps have become established in everyday clinical practice to date. Apps published by representative institutions such as the AO Foundation demonstrated the highest usage rates. In summary, the number of regularly used apps is low; however, the causes of this lack of acceptance have not yet been conclusively clarified. The authors of this study proclaim a significant increase in the use of mHealth and mobile devices in daily clinical practice in the future.