personal digital assistant

1. P E R S O N A L D I G I TA L
ASSISTANT (PDA) AND
W I R E L E S S D E V I C E S

2. WHAT IS PERSONAL
DIGITAL ASSISTANT
(PDA)?
Personal digital assistant is a term for a small, mobile,
handheld device that provides computing and information
storage and retrieval capabilities for personal or business
use, often for keeping schedules, calendars and address
book information handy.

3. HISTORY
The first PDAs were developed in the early 1990s as digital improvements upon the
traditional pen-and-paper organizers used to record personal information such as
telephone numbers, addresses, and calendars. The first electronic organizers were
large, had limited capabilities, and were often incompatible with other electronic
systems. As computer technology improved, however, so did personal organizers.
Soon companies such as Sharp Electronics Corporation, Casio Computer
Company, and Psion PLC developed more-efficient models. Those PIMs, or
personal information managers, were more user-friendly and could connect to PCs,
and they had stylus interfaces and upgrade capabilities. In addition, later versions
offered e-mail access and the option to download e-books. These improved devices
still faced compatibility issues, however.

4. Handle Standard PIM Functions
All PDAs come with some kind of personal information management (PIM) software that typically
handles the following tasks to keep you organized:
Store contact information (names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses)
Make to-do lists
Take notes
Track appointments (date book, calendar)
Remind you of appointments (clock, alarm functions)
Perform calculations
Run Application Software
PDAs can run specialized software applications
FEATURES OF PDA

5. HOW DOES IT WORK?
It acts as an electronic organizer or day planner that is portable, easy to use and
capable of sharing information with your PC. It's supposed to be an extension of the
PC, not a replacement.

6. HOW DOES IT BENEFIT
HEALTHCARE?
A study published by the Journal of Nursing analysed the benefits of personal digital assistants and reported that the technology offered the potential to
“revolutionise the way that nurses provide and record care”.
The study concluded: “Personal digital assistants (PDA) have been shown to have the potential to increase the quality of nursing care provided in the
hospital setting by helping nurses better meet some of the major challenges that the profession faces today. PDAs have been shown to have the ability to
increase evidence-based practice, decrease medication errors, and increase efficiency and accuracy of electronic patient charting. Furthermore, the
portability, ease of use, and near instant access to information that PDAs provide makes them very appealing tools for nurses. As nurses and
organisations begin to recognise the potential for PDAs, and as more nursing-focused software and resources continue to be developed, PDAs truly have
the potential to revolutionise the way that nurses provide and record care.”

7. 5 BENEFITS OF PDA IN
HEALTHCARE
1. Saving time with personal digital assistants in healthcare
Digital assistants reduce time spent on manual checks by prompting, guiding and logging activity in real-time. The activity might
range from regular duties to unscheduled tasks and responses to specific events, including alerts from sensors such as automated
automated temperature monitoring of medicine fridges. What’s more, digital assistant platforms such as Checkit enable teams to
collaborate by sharing work between them so that tasks are completed faster.
2. Creating a digital audit trail to strengthen compliance
Healthcare teams operate in an environment with rigorous compliance requirements. Accurate reporting is crucial to meeting
regulatory standards but as healthcare providers gradually move away from paperwork, there’s a growing need to move compliance
reporting into the digital sphere.

8. 5 BENEFITS OF PDA IN
HEALTHCARE
3. Rapid onboarding with personal digital assistants in healthcare
The 24/7 demands of hospitals have combined with staff shortages to create an environment where temporary, agency, new or
redeployed staff are continuously joining frontline teams. With little time for formal training on local procedures, staff who are
unfamiliar with their working environment can benefit from guidance delivered by personal digital assistants.
4. Reducing errors with personal digital assistants in healthcare
The stressful, busy and dynamic characteristics of healthcare settings means errors are always possible and restricted resources
only increase the risk. There are particular risks relating to the identification, transit, storage and management of blood donations,
biopsies and medicines, for example. Many of these processes rely on paperwork which is vulnerable to delays, inaccuracy and
missing information.

9. 5 BENEFITS OF PDA IN
HEALTHCARE
5. Closing the digital skills gap in healthcare
A shortage of digital skills is one of the obstacles standing in the way of healthcare transformation. In the UK, Coventry University
conducted research to examine the importance of technological change to combat the challenges facing the healthcare sector.
Researchers identified a series of specific knowledge gaps, including lack of sufficient skills and knowledge in leading digital
transformation in the NHS; adapting to state-of-the-art technologies; data analytics; and educating others.
The digital experiences of staff will be an increasingly important factor as the healthcare sector strives to attract younger people into
its workforce. New generations of workers will have rising expectations of the technology they encounter in the workplace.
The growing use of personal digital assistants in healthcare provides a gateway into greater technology adoption. Digital assistants
like Checkit deliver intuitive interfaces and easy-to-follow instructions in the familiar form of a mobile device, increasing confidence,
job satisfaction and engagement within this vital workforce.

10. ADVANTAGES OF PDA
Availability –
One of the primary preferences of possessing a PDA is the capacity to stay in contact with individuals through email, text informing and telephone. Since PDAs are
so convenient and networks so broad, clients can take them anyplace.
Association –
Another advantage of possessing a PDA is expanded association. Schedule and rundown applications make it simple to monitor arrangements, make notes in a
hurry and document past discussions or other information.
Status –
For some PDA clients, the gadget has the additional advantage of meaning a specific status. Organization gave PDAs might be held for more significant level
representatives and can come to connote a place of power or significance. For individual clients, having the most recent PDA might be an indication of riches or
innovative information.
Broad Internet Connectivity –
For occupied people, the primary preferred position of getting a PDA is being able to remain associated through email, calls, text informing and different courier
applications. These are worked with broad organization network so clients can get to the Internet anyplace they are.

11. DISADVANTAGES OF PDA
Cost –
One of the greatest hindrances of a PDA is the expense. Other than paying for the gadget itself, most PDAs require the purchaser to buy in to a utilization contract. This
includes a month to month bill and the chance of overage charges if the client outperforms his designated free telephone minutes or information limits.
Interruption –
PDAs may likewise turn into an interruption when they’re not satisfying an authentic need. The capacity to be constantly associated can prompt sat around riding the Web,
settling on telephone decisions or messing around. Some business clients whine of being “available to come in to work” when their colleagues and bosses can reach
them whenever.
Restricted in Scope –
PDAs are restricted in degree. They are neither PC substitutions nor would they be able to be successfully used to supplant mobile phones. PDAs are not furnished to
manage miniature preparing capacities.
Time constraint –
PDAs are not generally the best response to business arrangements. Paper-based coordinators are a more reasonable choice since PDAs are hard to utilize, information
passage is abnormal, they are moderate and beginner clients discover them superfluously unpredictable.

12. REFERENCES:
Steele, C. (2021, October 25). What is a personal digital assistant (PDA)? Mobile Computing. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from
https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/personal-digital-
assistant#:~:text=Personal%20digital%20assistant%20is%20a,and%20address%20book%20information%20handy.
Roos, D. (2009, March 9). How global cell phones work. HowStuffWorks. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/travel/global-cell-
phones.htm
Henderson, N. (2021, November 24). 5 benefits of personal digital assistants in Healthcare. Turn safety and compliance checks in to cost savings and productivity insight.
Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.checkit.net/blog/benefits-personal-digital-assistants-
healthcare#:~:text=PDAs%20have%20been%20shown%20to,very%20appealing%20tools%20for%20nurses.
GeeksforGeeks. (2020, December 17). Advantages and disadvantages of personal digital assistant. GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-personal-digital-assistant/