Habits and attitudes of smartphone use among anesthesiologists during anesthetized patient care: A survey-based study in a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Healthcare providers use smartphones for various beneficial purposes, including education, communication, and remote patient monitoring. However, concerns have arisen about their potential to distract anesthesiologists in the operating room, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences. This study aimed to assess smartphone habits and attitudes among anesthesiologists at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Anesthesiologists were surveyed using a questionnaire distributed via email and phone numbers. Hard copies of the questionnaire were also distributed in the operating rooms. Data are cleaned in Excel and analyzed using IBM SPSS 29.0. Results: Our study included 123 participants, mostly male (n = 102, 82.9%), with a significant portion aged 31-40 years (n = 34, 27.6%). Most were consultants (n = 51, 41.5%), and 64.2% (n = 79) spent less than 25% of their working hours on smartphones. Despite 52.8% (n = 65) reporting distractions from smartphone use, only 29.3% (n = 36) supported restrictions in operating theaters. A significant association was found between age and perceptions of smartphone impact on patient care ( Conclusion: Our study highlights the pervasive use of smartphones among anesthesiologists, with many acknowledging both benefits and distractions. While a significant number perceive positive impacts on patient care, concerns about distraction remain, indicating the need for balanced guidelines in operating theaters.