Healthcare Tablet Computing

A little background before I post this interview. This participant has been a consumer of IT products and services but does not work in the industry. She has had previous experience in Healthcare, but on the administrative side of things.

Name:   Shequila N. Jacobs

Position / Role:   Financial Analyst, Organization Development Consultant

Industry:  Government & Non-Profit

Years Experience in technology:  12

Prior to the Apple iPad what were your feelings about the future of the tablet computing marketplace as a whole?

Slowly being integrated into the mainstream, but not very sophisticated.  People appeared to be pensive to jump on the trend. 

Where do you think the industry was headed?

Nowhere, I believe it was moving forward, but not steadily or rapidly.

After the iPad?  (Better, worse, explain)

   The industry has exploded with possibilities because it has nade the technology available to more people and is opening minds to the possiblilities and opportunities available in various sectors, particularly in the area of health care administration.

In the marketplace of tablet computing in healthcare which direction do you think things are headed?

I believe that healthcare will be adopting as many tools as possible to eliminate errors, increase quality and build efficiencies in service delivery particularly with all of the federal mandates pertainign to electronic health records. The evolution of the tablet technology would be extremely helpful and could eventually serve as a get tool for mobile research for healthcare profesionals, expanding knowledge and options while building a better long range consistency

Is the market trending up?

I believe so, as the technology required to meet the need in the healthcare industry is mandatory and immediate.  In order to meet the benchmarks for mandated outcomes, it is becoming essential to move technology forward at warped speeds.

With the development of apps for the iPad do you feel developers will make a decent attempt to break into the computing marketplace in healthcare?

Only if the incentive is available for development in the applicable areas (i.e., increased profits, tax breaks/incentives, worker and/or patient satification) or the results of such applications are mandated.

If a sizable effort was made to develop an end to end solution for healthcare with iPad integration do you feel it would be adopted?

I would reiterate my previous response, but would add that a truly integrated hands-on training process woudl be essential for true adoption of the process both for those who are adverse to ANY technology at all or to those who shun any new types of technology.