Most all industries are rapidly evolving as a result of technological advances and the healthcare industry is no different. Since the iPad debuted in 2010, it has had an increasingly dominant presence in the healthcare field and the industry has seen many positive effects as a result of the mobile device. Here are 5 examples of how the iPad is used every day in the medical world to positively impact the medical field.
Access to the Most Up-to-Date Medical Literature
Similar to technology, the medical field is constantly evolving with new advancements being made each and every day. Academic medical journals aim to keep up with all of these updates and new research and thus are very frequently updated. Accessing medical journals on an iPad allows doctors and medical students immediate and quick access to the most up to date information, advancements that they’d previously have to wait for the latest journal to be published and released to learn about. This functionality may seem simple, but it can actually save hospitals lots of money in the long run that would typically be spent on purchasing frequent, costly updates to these medical books and journals.
Streamlined Patient Communication
The iPad offers patients easy access to online patient portals which can ultimately improve doctor-patient communication and cut down on response times. Utilizing mobile devices at check-in and for completing patient paperwork removes the headache for patients of filling out seemingly mindless paperwork at every doctor’s visit. It also reduces the amount of paperwork and filing for the office staff making it possible to better streamline the transfer of patient medical records if necessary. Through the iPad and online portal, doctors are provided with real-time patient information, oftentimes increasing visit efficiency.
Innovative Apps for Doctors and Patients
Countless apps that are geared toward both doctors and patients have been released since the iPad debuted. Apps like University of Virginia’s ERAS help patients follow treatment programs and better understand planned surgical procedures. Apps like Medscape and Daily Rounds for Doctors are changing the way medical students and residents learn and prep for procedures. As a result of the effectiveness of these apps as a learning tool, some medical schools have begun to include an iPad as a part of student tuition.
On the Spot Prescriptions
The convenience and transportability of the iPad allows for quick and easy visit follow-up for doctors, including how quickly they’re able to place orders for prescriptions after seeing patients. Rather than waiting to access a shared staff desktop computer to take care of these follow-up items, they can easily place orders from their iPad. This can cut back on patient wait times for important prescriptions and follow-up items.
Patient Surveys and Feedback
On-site iPads allow medical facilities to administer satisfaction surveys to collect immediate feedback from patients. Catching patients with the survey before they leave the office increases the likelihood that they’ll remember the doctor encounter most accurately. Information collected through these surveys can then be used to improve processes and ultimate patient satisfaction.
These are just a few of the ways that the iPad is used every day to positively impact the medical field and healthcare as a whole. There seems to be no limit to the innovations that the iPad and other similar devices will continue to bring to doctors and patients in the healthcare space.
*This is a guest blog post. Author Bio: Brandon Marcum is the Director of Marketing at Health Insurance Innovations. He enjoys blogging about anything and everything related to the healthcare industry.
