Doctors were some of the first professionals to embrace tablet technologies, and the iPad has long been a favorite for them. The tablet’s functionality makes it more practical to carry around than a notebook, and it can store much more information. It also allows doctors, nurses, and other medical staff to look up information on a whim when trying to diagnose or when needing to locate records.
In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, otherwise known as HITECH, was enacted. Hospitals that were quick to employ the use of Electronic Health Records under the act would receive monetary bonuses, while those who failed to comply would be penalized once the grace period ended.
Not only did HITECH require hospitals and private practices to invest large amounts of money to create highly secure EHR Systems, but it also forced doctors to manage their information in different ways. Files and clipboards were becoming a thing of the past, but printing out sheets would still be a must even with the new electronic systems allowing for possible leaks of information. So how were doctors to keep the information they needed to treat patients with them at all time without leading a paper trail?
By using the iPad.
One application, in particular, has been incredibly beneficial to physicians, and those currently in medical and nursing schools should consider familiarizing themselves with the program prior to seeking a position. That app is the DrChrono app.
DrChrono is an electronic health records app that was originally released in May of last year. Since the release of the beta version, the team behind DrChrono has made vast improvements to the interface and are now even offering a free version of the program. However, hospitals that are serious about security and giving their practitioners should consider paying for the more advanced version.
With the iPad and DrChrono, as well as a few other great medical applications, doctors are now able to more easily manage their appointments, achieve greater patient confidentiality, and make more accurate diagnosis on the spot. The healthcare industry is constantly looking for ways to streamline its practices so that it may offer less expensive and quicker services to those in need. With help from devices such as the iPad, hospitals and clinics alike will not only be able to provide better service, but they will also be able to meet HITECH demands more readily and obtain the program’s incentives more easily.
