Tablet Computing Considerations For The Medical Practice
Last week, I was excited to contribute an article to Medical Practice Insider on the benefits of tablet computing for medical practices. Tablet devices like the Panasonic Toughbook H2 are growing increasingly more popular in medical environments, as they provide medical providers greater flexibility, productivity, and the ability to access critical care data at a moment’s notice from anywhere.
According to a recent study by Manhattan Research, 62 percent of doctors in America now use tablet computers, and 80 percent of doctors eventually expect to be using some sort of mobile device in their practice. Compare that to figures from 2011, when only 30 percent of doctors used tablets, and you can see that we’re in the middle of a huge surge of popularity for these devices.
[pullquote]Medical-grade tablets bring convenience to the practice setting, where doctors and nurses need to have immediate access to charts, medical records and data for hundreds of patients.[/pullquote] Using tablet computers, doctors can now access patient medical information on the go anywhere they need it — at patients’ bedsides, diagnostic areas or doctor’s offices.
The surging popularity of tablets is especially beneficial to small and medium-sized practice environments. As compared to large-scale hospitals and clinics, small and mid-size practices face a greater challenge in adapting to government reform, EMR technology mandates, an aging population and a struggling national economy. In a separate recent study, 62 percent of U.S. small and mid-sized medical practices reported that new technologies (including electronic health records) have made things easier for their businesses.
Wireless-enabled tablet computers allow physicians to access EHR software at their fingertips from anywhere. Doctors can review information while in transit before they see the patient; they can apply clinical decisions, monitor vital signs and alert staff to unexpected results. All of this can be done in their offices, the hallway or diagnostic areas.Leading medical-grade tablets offer high-definition, daylight-viewable screens. These graphical capabilities make it possible for doctors to easily view highly detailed medical images such as X-rays or ultrasounds, while sharing this data with patients in any room.One of the greatest benefits for a small practice lies in the education, productivity and collaboration capabilities of tablet computing.
Leading medical-grade tablets, like the Toughbook H2, can integrate seamlessly with enterprise operating systems and legacy applications, giving physicians the freedom to develop presentations, spreadsheets and notes wherever it’s convenient, and transfer them easily from desktop and laptop computers to their mobile devices. In addition, wireless technology allows tablet users to store documents and data in the cloud, collaborate, and share information effortlessly.
Medical grade tablets offer care providers the ability to record and access vitally important data at a moment’s notice, anywhere they may be. Because they can help connect data with decision makers at critical moments, tablets can have an enormous positive impact on the medical practice. By making the right technology decisions, healthcare practices can ensure their physicians, nurses and medical staff are equipped to take advantage of these gains without compromise.
To see more, visit Panasonic’s Healthcare Solutions page at http://www.panasonic.com/business-solutions/healthcare-technology-solutions.asp
