IT security: what all orthopedic surgeons must know.

Orthopedic surgeons rely on technology on a daily basis, from using a practice management system for billing and scheduling to (for some) electronic health records (EHR). Walk in to any education session for orthopedic surgeons and more than half the people in the room have a laptop, iPad® (Apple Inc., Cupertino, California), iPhone®, (Apple Inc.) BlackBerry® (Research in Motion, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), Droid® (Motorola, Schaumburg, Illinois), or other personal digital assistant (PDA). Savvy users access their billing reports or view their office schedule on their PDA. Others chart a patient note from the comfort of their own home, electronically prescribe medications while watching their child’s soccer game, or access a patient’s chart while on call before leaving for the emergency department. Technology advances continue to streamline once-impossible tasks, heralding a new era of how orthopedic surgeons practice.