Electronic resources preferred by pediatric hospitalists for clinical care

Objectives

There is little research on pediatric hospitalists'' use of evidence-based resources. The aim of this study was to determine the electronic resources that pediatric hospitalists prefer.

Methods

Using a web-based survey, the authors determined hospitalists'' preferred electronic resources, as well as their attitudes toward lifelong learning, practice, and experience characteristics.

Results

One hundred sixteen hospitalists completed the survey. The most preferred resource for general information, patient handouts, and treatment was UpToDate. Online search engines were ranked second for general information and patient handouts.

Conclusions

Pediatric hospitalists tend to utilize less rigorous electronic resources such as UpToDate and Google. These results can set a platform for discussing the quality of resources that pediatric hospitalists use.