Thanks, Neil. Regarding "Bring your own device” (BYOD) policies, you’re right that we didn’t discuss these much in our review. In BYOD approaches, the workplace formalizes healthcare workers’ use of personal phones, for instance by requiring that they sign a policy and agree to certain practices surrounding how they communicate, share and store information. Here’s an example from the NHS in the UK:
- Bring your own device (BYOD) guidance - NHS Transformation Directorate.
https://transform.england.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/bring-y...
- Bring your own device (BYOD) - NCSC.GOV.UK
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/device-security-guidance/bring-your-o...
It’s possible that this approach is a good solution for a lot of places, although there are still challenges, as highlighted in the second link, including the fact that healthcare workers still need to maintain their own phones and the issue of work-life balance.
Regarding the other issue – people using work phones informally, I’ll dig up some more information about this.
Best, Claire
HIFA profile: Claire Glenton is professor of evidence-based practice at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and a researcher at Cochrane Norway. Claire has a particular interest in systematic review methodology, including methods for disseminating the results of systematic reviews and methods for synthesising qualitative research. She regularly serves as technical advisor on World Health Organization guidelines. She also co-coordinates the GRADE-CERQual Project Group. She is one of the principal investigators of the mHealth-Innovate project, looking at informal use of mobile phones by health workers. https://www.hifa.org/support/members/claire-1 Email: Claire.Glenton AT hvl.no