Integrating Tablet Computers Into Your Practice
Photo Courtesy Tom Raftery via flickr
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?
UK Sends Data to The Cloud
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.
What kind of data is available?
Here’s a data set to chew on: “The patient journey post hip fracture: What constitutes rehabilitation?“
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