Handheld devices and informatics in anesthesia

ABSTRACT

Handheld devices like smartphones, once viewed as a diversion and interference in the operating room have become an integral part of healthcare. In the era of evidence based medicine, the need to remain up to date with current practices is felt more than ever before. Medical informatics helps us by analysing complex data in making clinical decisions and knowing recent advances at the point of patient care. Handheld devices help in delivering such information at the point of care; however, too much reliance upon technology might be hazardous especially in an emergency situation. With the recent approval of robots to administer anesthesia, the question of whether technology can replace anesthesiologists from the operating room looms ahead. The anesthesia and critical care related applications of handheld devices and informatics along with its possible drawbacks are discussed