Knowledge, attitude and practice of dental health workers toward the use of online medical database for clinical decision support

Abstract

Background: In today‟s time pressured work environment, the dental health workers are likely to find it hard to leave the patient on the chair or in the waiting room to go to the library for addition information on disease and also the appropriate treatment that support their clinical decision at real point of care.(1) A wireless personal digital assistant, Desktop computer or Tablet personal computer can provide access to the medical information and other data, by assuming that the data are maintained in readily accessible electronic databases.(2) Objective: To determine knowledge, attitude and practice of dental health workers toward the use of online medical database for clinical decision support among all registered oral health care professionals within RAHPC and RMDC resident within Rwanda Significance: Once barriers of using online medical resources are identified interventions can be proposed to lower or eliminate the barriers and restrictions thereby encouraging the uptake and utilization of these tools to enhance clinical decision making, support and professional development at provider level. Methodology: A study population covered all licensed dental health workers. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding knowledge, attitude and practice of dental health workers toward the use of online medical database for clinical decision support. A pilot study with 12 dental health workers was done prior to the study to pre-test questionnaire. Unregistered dental health workers were excluded in this study. Result: This study show that among respondents 160 (80%) were using internet based resources to support their clinic decision while 41 (20%) of dental health workers they don‟t use internet based resources to support their clinic decision. Recommendation: I recommend the health facility that had dental services to organize the special workshop and CPD courses on the available peer reviewed locally relevant online based resources and smartphone applications for support clinical decision.