Scalpel, stethoscope, iPad: the future is now in the intensive care unit.

Since its earliest days, critical care has been associated with advanced technology. Yet, as I (R.H.S.) round the intensive care unit (ICU) during my duties as medical codirector, I see that now some of the most important new high-tech tools in view are not installed by the hospital, but are being carried around by the physician assistants, residents, fellows, nurses, and, of course, me. What I refer to is the omnipresence of powerful handheld communications devices, such as smartphones and tablet personal computers (PCs), that are fundamentally changing the quantity of information available to clinicians where they need it the most: at the point of care. These are far more than storage devices; they are sophisticated communication tools with beautiful full-color screens, and high-speed Internet access, and they offer users the ability to communicate, via voice or text, on a global level. Although largely undiscussed, an increase in social networking among ICU team members has run nearly parallel to recent improvements in wireless hardware. As we saw during the recent revolution in Egypt, the role of social networking in organizing how people communicate—and perhaps, even think —should not be underestimated. In this editorial, I will explore how these advances in technology have changed the way health care workers interact in the ICU, and some ways to use this technology to optimize the function of multidisciplinary teams and improve patient care.