Smaller and faster: using a handheld computer to support a bedside vascular access team.

An application for a handheld computer was developed to support the Vascular Access team in an academic medical center. The development involved workflow analysis and usability testing centered on the users. The application interfaced with the desktop to generate the documentation needed for the charts and to populate the database used to track productivity, volume, outcomes, etc. Post-implementation evaluations provided feedback to validate the utility of the system to support workflow of the team.