In the Age of EMRs, is the iPad Living Up to the Hype?

Jennifer Dennard, E-Media Marketing Specialist
May 20, 2010


Apple's iPad announcement earlier this year had many in the healthcare field eagerly awaiting the launch of what they hoped would be a panacea for their market. Both providers and vendors to the healthcare industry - especially EMR software companies - looked upon the new tablet as a piece of technology that could potentially streamline and even revolutionize their day-to-day activities. As Apple says in a recent iPad commercial, "It's already a revolution, and it's only just begun."

Medical app developer Epocrates surveyed more than 350 clinicians before the iPad's launch to gauge purchase interest and found that one in five were likely to buy the product, a clear indication of the excitement healthcare providers felt over the opportunities the technology would bring them.

Many organizations purchased one to use as a "guinea pig" in certain departments, experimenting with how the iPad's interface interacted with already established systems and protocols. The overall goal many hoped for was, and still is, improved patient care.

Some industry commentators, such as John Moore of the Healthcare Blog, wonder if provider organizations will become so enamored of the tablet they will incorporate it into their overall adoption of healthcare information technology, and use ARRA funding for their purchases.

Now that the dust has settled, a strong opinion in the healthcare community seems to have surfaced: Opportunities abound for the iPad, but the tablet and its apps will have to evolve to meet the needs of those working in the clinical setting, especially with regard to how well it interfaces with EMR software.

Software Advice, a group of software experts that provide advice to consumers free of charge, surveyed 178 physicians, nurses, medical students and healthcare IT professionals around the time of the iPad's debut to find out what they wanted in a tablet and how well the iPad stacked up. Results found that many thought the iPad would be a poor fit for their professional needs due to uncertainty around support for Apple's operating system environment and dearth of meaningful apps offered at Apple's store.

The survey also found the iPad lacks many features that survey takers marked as "must-haves," such as sealed ports that offer resistance to dust, disinfectants and hospital fluids; an integrated camera for documenting diagnosis; fingerprint access to the system for HIPAA compliance; and barcode scanning for patient safety.

That being said, the iPad's ease of use will prompt many doctors already used to their iPhone interface to graduate to the larger tablet. Ease of use, in fact, was the major purchase reason for the majority of healthcare professionals surveyed in the Software Advice study, which also found that 63% prefer a finger touch screen method of data input over styluses or voice dictation. Providers also noted exciting possibilities for patient interaction. Many providers agree that it could become a visually useful and engaging tool when explaining procedures and treatments to patients, especially in pediatrics, due to the larger screen and video capabilities.

The iPad may very well live up to the hype, but it will take time. If the excitement surrounding its debut is any indication, the healthcare community is already waiting with baited breath for the next big upgrade.

Click the video below to view Apple's recent iPad commercial.