Healthcare Tablet Computing

I have been thinking pretty hard on this topic and I decided to put together a fact or fiction list in order to better explain my thoughts on the iPad in Healthcare. The next post will have some links to other articles and information.

Fact OR Fiction?

1. The iPad is by itself a revolutionary device for Healthcare
  - Fiction.
While the device may be very revolutionary in its approach to communication, interface and overall usage, it is not able to stand on its own without developer support and adoption.

2. Healthcare is ready for this device
- Fact.
The overall move in the healthcare industry today is moving towards: better, faster, more efficient, and more technological care. Gone are the days where a patients chart can turn up missing. That simply is not acceptable. The government is putting millions into developing more robust systems to get the US back on track and to level the playing field when it comes to healthcare delivery across the world. The iPad with the correct support could really take things to another level.


3. Since some Universities have programs where every student gets an iPhone or iPod touch when entering, an iPad for every doc and hospital worker be accepted as well.
- Fiction (for right now)
   This could change soon. The fear here is that an institution spends the ~20 or $30,000 needed to pilot this and they turn out to be the beta video players of today's time period. While I highly doubt that is the case, people are extremely fearful of mis-investing in technology that may not yield the dividends or results that they need.

4. With the proper developer support this is a no brainer for healthcare
- Fiction.
No new technology is the slam dunk solution people want to see. There are always issues to be resolved and testing needed. The hurdle the iPad will have to face is the Apple moniker that it isn't built for enterprise or business. Perception of this as a non business centric tool will hurt early adoption, but more robust security, better backend deployment support, and a large development community will put it on the right track.

5. This is the future of Healthcare
- Fact.
While this particular iteration may not change the game it dynamically adjusts our perspective. What I like about technology like this is that it pushes the entire market. People that would have never been drawn to a tablet want to see it. Which means more manufacturers will make "iPadesque" devices. Those devices will encourage developers and programs to build specific applications and the cycle starts. Hardware development drives software development which encourages use and implementation which draw more hardware development.

Healthcare will drastically change in the near future. While I may love to see my former pediatrician out at Walmart when I visit that part of town, that is not going to be feasible soon. Doctors provide a service to their patients and with the number of patients increasing much faster than the number of Doctors, something has to give. Technology will be the elastic that keeps this going. Tablet technology will help frame the interface in which we move forward.