Prospects Of Tablet Usage In The Healthcare Industry

By Author: Jennifer Lewis
Total Articles: 304
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Ever since the introduction of tablets in markets, the healthcare sector has been dreaming about the day, when tabs will become their most trusted companions. They have allured the entire healthcare industry by allowing users to access every vital information wherever they want with just a few swipes. The history dates back to the time when very first revolutionary tablet – Apple iPad was launched. Since then, the arrival of numerous tablets has transformed the functioning of the healthcare sector.

Various features of iPad and other tables have the prospects of serving this sector has made industry experts chanting their names and advising everyone to adopt them. Despite this, this sector has been very slow in adopting this technology. Reasons for slow adoption rate are mainly the security related issues, privacy of patient's personal data and integration with the backend system. Another factor was that no one really cared about how to create a compelling user experience for mobile health apps in this space. Moreover, lack of coordination about which apps would be best for tablets engaged in the healthcare segment ...
... was also considered responsible for the slow adoption rate.

However, this condition is changing swiftly as indicated by various reports. A study conducted by CompTIA reveals that 38 percent doctors and support staff use apps on a very frequent basis. This figure was expected to rise drastically, and it reciprocated by reaching 50 percent in 2012. Two out of every three people surveyed expressed their need of improved mobile technologies. This study revealed the use of apps within the sphere of doctor's offices, clinics, hospitals and testing labs. Let us have a quick look.

1. Data collection and patient monitoring – This involved usage of Bluetooth enabled sensor devices and devices with Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth enabled interface for patient monitoring. Also included are the medical instruments that are capable of transmitting information to other compatible devices in the vicinity.

2. Dashboards and reports - Another use of mobile technology was in the form of covering patient's prescriptions, diagnostics, legal issues, financial issues and operational information summary and details.

3. Scheduling appointments – This included visiting doctors, collecting test reports from labs, reminders, rescheduling, cancellation and delegating between doctors to junior doctors, doctors to nurses and vice versa.

4. Patient management – Instant approval of Rx refills can be a decisive factor between life and death of numerous patients. Smart phones and tabs geared with mobile apps can be helpful, as studies show that they can cut the response time by as much as 90 percent.

Here are few advantages of deploying tablets in the healthcare sector.

1. They avoid cumbersome and inaccuracy prone entry made by humans. They eliminate the chances of any error that could be made by humans in data entry by feeding automated data.

2. They have ended the need of maintaining a hardcopy and a soft copy of the data. This helps them save a considerable amount of time.

3. Tablets allow users to have access to all information, wherever they require it.

4. They help in increasing efficiencies by eliminating or minimizing the paperwork

5. The multimedia capabilities of tablets can be exercised to record and present on-demand information, such as visual images of the injured part and recorded files of the information that a patient feels is important to convey to the doctor.

6. They allow hospital staff to communicate more efficiently thus, increasing coordination, which directly affects the work process further and makes it better.

Apple iPads and other advanced tablets have 128-256 bit encryption system, which can encrypt all the data stored in the device thus making it, secure for use by the healthcare industry.

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