With Mac releasing the iPad last week, it is time to think about how these new tablet computers that are flooding the market can become a valuable member of your PT team. But to many, abandoning your traditional pen and paper for a sleek touch-screen tablet computer seems overwhelming.
The potential for these devices to make your office more efficient is almost limitless. Combining tablets with electronic documentation (you are using electronic documentation, right?) could give you the opportunity to integrate information from multiple levels. Imagine having diagnostic images, the patient’s medical history, the PT chart, physician’s orders, and functional outcome measures all easily accessible on one, ½ inch thick screen. But, the benefits go beyond working in a paperless environment. Having the internet in your hands during treatment sessions allows you to browse special tests, diagnostic information, drug information, and more importantly patient education materials like instructional videos. Some tablets also feature 3G capabilities, allowing PTs in home healthcare the ability to access the same information available on a WiFi network. Ideally, this would result in the opportunity to be more efficient and spend more time treating and educating patients, not writing SOAP notes by hand, scheduling, or billing.
But, introducing these devices into your clinical practice is not for everyone. It is important to remember that no single device (not yet anyway!) is appropriate for all clinics or settings. The potential is great for integrating these devices into PT practice, but is there an app for that? Since this technology is so new, the documentation software you prefer or the features you want may not be available yet. Cost may be another barrier to integration, ranging from $499 to $829, the iPad can be expensive, especially if you are integrating into a large clinic or hospital setting. Apple is not the only company on the tablet front, HP-Compaq, Dell, and Panasonic ToughBook all offer competing models. Compared to laptops, the current trend, tablets are easier to disinfect, less cumbersome, touch-screen, feature a longer battery life, and easier to operate overall.
These platforms also open the door for PT specific apps and programs to be developed. At an average of $1.99 per download, the apps for the iPad are more expensive than their iPhone counterparts. As PTs and the general public catch the app downloading bug, there is profit to be made in every sector, not just healthcare. The question then becomes, should PT specific apps be limited to PTs? And, if so, how do we regulate who downloads them?
One of the big barriers to both performing and consuming research is the issue of closed doors and ownership of data. Researchers struggle with gaining access to information. Readers of research struggle with gaining access to manuscripts locked away behind expensive subscription fees. Thus, the move to open access publishing is useful on multiple levels. The ability to have access to the best recent research findings is a critical component of best care.
The United Kingdom has taken a postive step with data from the public sector and goverment commisioned research by moving away from proprietary copyright laws and adopting the very popular Creative Commons licenses. They recently launched a new website, data.gov.uk as a resource for gaining access to this information. People developing the information will also have an easier time securing the protection of their data using the easy stardards of the Creative Commons rules. This certainly seems like a win-win for everyone.
By the way, this is really about opening data up to “the cloud” and I think we’ll see more and more opportunities to connect and free up data. To that end, you have to love the presence of the “Semantic Web” definition on the landing page for the UK’s new site.
Welcome loyal NPA Think Tank fans to PT Think Tank! Yes, this is the same place, we just now have a new name and a new url. I mean…I was always confused about what an NPA was anyway, and how do you think about one?
PT Think Tank is more than just a new blog name, however. PT Think Tank is a new solution. It’s a new business, in fact! PT Think Tank is brought to you by Eric Robertson and Tim Noteboom.
What do we do? Well, we still blog, but we can do much more. PT Think Tank is a technology solutions provider for physical therapists, physical therapy businesses, and educational providers. We are the only business of its kind in that we exist solely for the advancement of technology within the physical therapy profession. Got a technology need? We probably will have something to say about it…something helpful, even!
Over the next few weeks we will be changing our site design to reflect our new purpose. We will be focusing more on cutting edge technologies in our blog topics, and we will be rolling out some new branding and a shiny new logo. Exciting times!
I’ve gotten quite a few requests to link to the videos from my AAOMPT presentation. Here’s my favorite one from the super-fun Socialnomics Social Media Blog. The other good video, “Ordering Pizza in the Future” can be found here on YouTube. Also check out CommonCraft’s, “Social Media in Plain English.”
We know the world is all about Healthcare reform right now…well a lot of it is. I saw that Congress received 150,000 phone calls in one day!
Well, if you don’t feel like calling and can’t get to Capitol Hill for a visit, try writing a letter! Check out this extremely detailed post about writing letters on the AAOMPT Student Special Interest Group blog.
Today, hundreds of physical therapists, members of the APTA’s Othopaedic section, and members of AAOMPT, are spending the day on Capitol Hill meeting with as many legislators as we can.
In today’s rapidly changing healthcare arena, the timing of this event couldn’t be better. Providing input from the physical therapist’s perspective is important as so many decisions are about to be made. The day has started out well, with some excellent breakfast at the Russell Senate Office Building. Present were the leadership of representative organizations. Left to right: Jay Irrgang (APTA-Orthopaedic section) Scott Ward (APTA) and Bob Rowe (AAOMPT).
I get asked by quite a few physical therapists about the best way to establish some sort of online identity for themselves or, more often, their business. While my gut reaction is to suggest a WordPress, this does take at least some footwork to get off the ground and to look nice. Another option which, due to the insanely simple process of setting it up, maybe more palatable to some folks is Posterous.com
Posterous allows everyone to make a blog on the fly, and they take care of images, hosting, posting, etc. All the user has to do is to remember the email address to post something (post.posterous.com), find something of value on the web worth sharing, or write down some thoughts, and click send. That’s it!
This article by Guy Kawasaki does a great job explaining how one can use Posterous to it’s full potential, including simultaneously posting to several social media sites and blogs.
How about we start blogging again here at NPA Think Tank! I’m off to my favorite conference of the year, the Annual Conference of The American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists.
I’ll be presenting on physical therapy in the evolving healthcare landscape. For now, here is my current landscape, the clouds over Atlanta.
We know the world is all about Healthcare reform right now…well a lot of it is. I saw that Congress received 150,000 phone calls in one day!
Check out my AAOMPT presentation: 
I get asked by quite a few physical therapists about the best way to establish some sort of online identity for themselves or, more often, their business. While my gut reaction is to suggest a WordPress, this does take at least some footwork to get off the ground and to look nice. Another option which, due to the insanely simple process of setting it up, maybe more palatable to some folks is Posterous.com
