Effect of a PDA-assisted evidence-based medicine course on knowledge of common clinical problems.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES It is not yet known if personal digital assistant (PDA)-assisted evidence-based medicine (EBM) courses in postgraduate training enhance knowledge of common clinical problems. This study's objective was to determine if PDA-assisted EBM training would improve clinical knowledge. METHODS In a controlled trial, intervention group residents received InfoRetriever on a PDA coupled with an EBM course integrated within clinical rotations in family medicine. The effect of the intervention and the rate of use of InfoRetriever on a written test of knowledge were evaluated after adjusting for baseline knowledge scores. The test measured knowledge of primary care management of hypertension and diabetes as well as estimation of disease probability. RESULTS There was no effect on first posttest knowledge scores of the intervention overall or of the rate with which participants had used InfoRetriever during the intervention. However, when intervention group residents retook the test with access to InfoRetriever while taking the knowledge test, scores increased 7.4% (+2.4 correct test questions). Access to InfoRetriever Clinical Prediction Rules on a PDA, however, had an unclear effect on residents' ability to estimate disease probability. CONCLUSIONS There was no effect of a PDA-assisted EBM course on knowledge test scores, although using the PDA during the test results in higher scores. It is unclear if using PDA Clinical Prediction Rules can improve residents' estimates of disease probability.