Katie Smith

An article on Healthcare IT News this morning caught my attention. Titled "Docs use iPads, but don't see them as game-changers," this article sparked my curiosity because I remembered an older article where doctors were praising the iPad for its medical advances. Embedded in the article, was of course, a link to that article. 

In June 2010, Connecticut physician Steven A. R. Murphy liked the iPad in his practice so much that he recommended everyone get one. He even said "The iPad is going to crush laptops in this [healthcare] space." The article entitled "iPad can accelerate new era of care" goes on to speak of how much more cost effective iPads are than COWs (Computer on Wheels), citing that one COW "costs $7,500," while three iPads are only $1,500. The iPad can be used for more than just EHRs and patient data. For instance, the device was proposed for use at Kaweah Delta Health Care District as a barcode scanner for Medication Administration Check. 

So, if one doctor is praising the iPad and it's medical advancements, why isn't everyone on-board? According to Gregg Malkary, of Spyglass Consulting Group, "The iPad represents only one component of an overall end-to-end clinical solution. Significant software innovation will be required to realize the vision for anytime, anywhere clinical computing." 

One possible explanation for the disillusionment with the iPad is that "physicians and hospitals are focused at the moment on meaningful use and being compensated for their time." He further explains that "until mobile devices demonstrate a return on investment, they'll be regarded as nice to have, but not necessary."

But with EHRs available on the iPad, medical apps on anything from resources, to imaging and monitoring, I can't agree 100% with Mr. Malkary. The return on investment for iPads, and other tablets, as well as medical apps are clear, they simply need to be used effectively

Full Articles: 

http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/docs-use-ipads-dont-see-them-game-changers

http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ipad-can-accelerate-new-era-care