title: The m-Health revolution: Exploring perceived benefits of WhatsApp use in clinical practice.
abstract: The dawn of m-Health facilitates new horizons of professional communication through WhatsApp, allowing health professionals to interact fast and efficiently for effective patient management. This preliminary study aimed to investigate perceived benefits, if any, of WhatsApp use across general medical and emergency teams during clinical practice in Malaysia.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in a universal sample of 307 health professionals comprising of nurses, medical assistants, medical residents, medical officers and physicians across medical and casualty departments in a Malaysian public hospital. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of items on socio-demographics, WhatsApp usage characteristics and the type of communication events during clinical practice.
  
  
  
  The majority of respondents (68.4%) perceived WhatsApp as beneficial during clinical practice. In multivariate analysis, perceived benefits was significantly higher amongst the clinical management group (aOR=2.6, 95% CI 1.5-4.6, p=0.001), those using WhatsApp for >12months (aOR=1.7, 95% CI 1.0-3.0, p=0.047), those receiving response ≤15min to a new communication (aOR=1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.2, p=0.017), and frequent information giving events (aOR=2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.8, p=0.016).
  
  
  
  Perceived benefits of WhatsApp use in clinical practice was significantly associated with usage characteristics and type of communication events. This study lays the foundation for quality improvement innovations in patient management delivered through m-Health technology.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health Malaysia, Parcel E, Putrajaya, Malaysia; Clinical Research Center, Seberang Jaya Hospital,13700 Seberang Jaya, Penang, Malaysia; Medical Department, Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital,41200 Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: medkuru@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kurubaran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ganasegeran
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital,41200 Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Pukunan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Renganathan
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Penang Medical College,10450 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, SEGI University,47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sami Abdo Radman
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Al-Dubai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008490:Medical Informatics; D063731:Mobile Applications; D010820:Physicians; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D059015:Wireless Technology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clinical communications; Mobile health; Perceived benefits; WhatsApp