Many health care organizations are evaluating or using mobile technology as a way to further automate care processes, says Bill Keay, enterprise mobility solutions specialist for health care and life sciences at Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash. Mobile hardware, for example, can make it easier for providers to transfer point-of-care data to various information systems or managed care organizations, he adds. |
The value of mobile hardware in health care is focused at connecting disparate information to physicians so they can make the best possible decisions," says Keay, who spoke April 1 with Mobile Health Data. "Tablet PCs and PDAs both help do this well. However, there are different settings where one type of mobile hardware might work better for caregivers."
For example, the small screen on most PDAs might be a good fit for caregivers who need to capture vital signs and send the data to a clinical information system. And the larger screen on Tablet PCs might be better for physicians who need to view more complex applications, such as a picture archiving and communication system, Keay says.
Other types of mobile hardware also may be beneficial for provider organizations, he says. Many providers that have begun mobile health care initiatives now want to deploy faster, smaller, longer-lasting hardware. This demand could lead to a new type of mobile hardware that fuses the more desired attributes of Tablet PCs and subnotebooks, Keay predicts.
Additionally, smart phones may see increased use in health care organizations in the near future, he adds. Their inherent communication abilities give smart phones an edge in the communication area over other mobile hardware, making them useful to physicians who aren't connected to their organization's Wi-Fi network, Keay says. For example, some physicians prefer to use Tablet PCs as their mobile hardware of choice while at the hospital. But these physicians also want a separate, smaller device they can use to stay connected while at home. Smart phones, which typically run on mobile phone networks, could fulfill this need, he argues.
However, given the swift advance of mobile technology in recent years, the health care industry is sure to be using new mobile hardware in five or so years, says Jason Gordon, product manager in the mobile devices division at Microsoft.
"It's difficult to predict, but there will be form factors in use in future that we haven't even thought of yet," he says.
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