The use of smartphone apps in clinical practice: A survey of South African physiotherapists.
Michael Rowe, Berenice Sauls
PMID 32391442WHAT IT FOUND
152 of 255 South African physiotherapists with smartphones used apps professionally, mainly for administrative tasks; 58 prescribed apps, but 94 did not because of quality, personalisation, safety and knowledge concerns.
Key findings
01152 of the participants who had smartphones used apps professionally, including for reminders and communication with colleagues and patients.
0258 participants had prescribed apps to clients, most commonly exercise apps, and reported clients found the apps useful.
0394 participants did not prescribe apps, citing concerns about app quality, lack of personalisation, lack of knowledge, and responsibility for patient safety.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The response rate was 21%, and the authors say the findings cannot be generalised to a larger population. Participants were members of one specialist physiotherapy group reached by email, so they may not represent all South African physiotherapists. The study relied on self-reported use and experiences; it did not measure patient outcomes, app accuracy, or whether prescribing apps changed care. The survey did not assess the quality, safety or effectiveness of the apps themselves.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that prescribing apps improves patient outcomes. It is a self-report survey of 255 physiotherapists with a 21% response rate, and it did not test patient results.