When I visit my doctor, there is a mini computer with an LCD display in the Examining Room. My doctor will refer to the computer to check what medications I’ve taken, or if I have been seen by another doctor, and it will tell him what I was in for. More and more medical facilities are moving into the 21st Century, and they are trading in their clipboard charts for computers and laptops. There is one California hospital that is taking it to the next step. They are trading in their laptops for iPads.
Frank Zhang of CruchGear writes that Kaweah Delta Health Care District has dropped laptops for the iPad. He explains how the iPad will be used by the Physicians:
“The iPad, with its 10-hour battery life and portability, can replace the laptop for usual office applications such as e-mail, as well as for looking at X-ray images, EKG results, and patient monitoring programs. This information will be delivered using the Citrix virtual desktop software, which gives users access to their desktop from any location on a number of different devices including Macs, tablets, and smartphones.”
This is pretty impressive. I could definitely see my doctor using the iPad. As I mentioned earlier, he references the computer for information. With the iPad, it will literally be at his fingertips. I can also see test results turn round time being a lot faster. They can have the information sent directly to their iPad.
Some might think that this is an unnecessary expense, considering the tough economic times we are in. Jonny Evans of 9to5Mac explains that the $500.00 price tag for an iPad is inexpensive compared to specialized touchscreen tablets that cost $3000.00 per unit. For the same price the hospital could afford to buy six iPads for every one touchscreen tablet. Plus when you buy in bulk, they are probably getting a slight discount. So the price at this point is even less.
It’s exciting to see how hospitals are embracing all this new technology. The applications are limitless as to what the iPad can do for the medical field. I can see in the next five years portable devices such as the iPad as common as a laptop is today.
Photo Credit: Computer Doctor
Article Via CrunchGear & 9to5Mac