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Appl Clin Inform 2022; 13(02): 391-397
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1744389
Research Article

Qualitative Analysis of Team Communication with a Clinical Texting System at a Midwestern Academic Hospital

Joy L. Lee
1   Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
2   Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
,
Areeba Kara
3   Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
,
Monica Huffman
2   Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
,
Marianne S. Matthias
1   Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
2   Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
4   Center for Health Information and Communication, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Development Service CIN 13-416, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
,
Bethany Radecki
3   Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
,
April Savoy
2   Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
4   Center for Health Information and Communication, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Development Service CIN 13-416, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
5   Department of Computer Information and Graphic Technology, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
,
Jason T. Schaffer
3   Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
,
Michael Weiner
1   Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
2   Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
4   Center for Health Information and Communication, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Development Service CIN 13-416, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
› Author Affiliations Funding This work was supported by the cross-center pilot award of the Regenstrief Institute, Inc., and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, via the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (grant numbers UL1TR001108 and UL1TR002529).
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Abstract

Background Hospitals are increasingly replacing pagers with clinical texting systems that allow users to use smartphones to send messages while maintaining compliance for privacy and security. As more institutions adopt such systems, the need to understand the impact of such transitions on team communication becomes ever more significant.

Methods We conducted focus groups with hospitalists and individual interviews with nurses at one academic medical center in the Midwest. All interviews and focus groups were audiorecorded, transcribed, and deidentified for analysis. All transcripts and notes were independently read by two members of the research team and coded for themes.

Results Twenty-one hospitalists and eight nurses participated in the study. Although study participants spoke favorably of texting, they identified more dissatisfactions with texting than benefits. There were disagreements regarding appropriate texting practices both within and between the hospitalists and nurses.

Conclusion Despite the benefits of texting, there is room for improving team communication and understanding in the realm of clinical texting. A lack of shared understanding regarding when and how to use texting may require long-term solutions that address teamwork and appropriateness.

Keywords

messaging - qualitative research - care teams - communication

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects

The study was performed in compliance with the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki on Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects, and was reviewed by the Indiana University Institutional Review Board.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 29 September 2021

Accepted: 06 February 2022

Article published online:
16 March 2022

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