Such a bummer. Health care workers, like everyone else, love Apple. And they love mobile devices in the hospital, the office, and the field. But Mobile Health News has decided that the new iPad won't be easily adapted to the specialized use-case of health care. And it's not just because of apps, because the apps are there — many have been developed for the iPhone. Here's what the experts say:
- The iPad has no camera, an important feature for any connected health tablet.
- Despite the iPad's rather impressive “up to” 10 hours of battery life, the Center for Connected Health's Rob Havasy lamented Apple's continued use of non-swappable batteries. Most tablets targeting the healthcare environment boast swappable batteries so clinicians can continue using them without waiting for a charge.
- Chilmark Research's John Moore pointed out that the iPad's 9.7 inch screen is not quite big enough for use with intensive medical applications.
- Voalte's Rob Campbell argued that the iPad was perhaps too big for many clinicians who would prefer a device that fits snugly into their pockets.
- Belgium-based senior managed care manager and respected mHealth pundit Bart Collet noted that unlike many other healthcare tablets, the iPad is not ruggedized and its screen would likely break if dropped. Many healthcare tablets claim to be drop resistant from about three feet.
- Quintiles' Adam Istas believes the iPad's healthcare opportunity should not be judged until medical apps specifically built for the platform (and not just those ported over from the iPhone/iPod) come to the market.
- Havasy also believes that the iPad's inability to multi-task, meaning it can't run more than one application at once is another big shortcoming that might hamper uptake for healthcare workers.
- Most healthcare tablets have barcode scanners — the iPad does not.
- Most healthcare tablets are easily disinfected, water-proof and dust resistant. The iPad does not appear to address any of those issues.
What has always interested me is why consumer device makers always diss health care as though it were not a big market segment. When they do that, the field is left to the specialized device companies, who overcharge and under-deliver for devices that are not nearly as easy to use as what the RNs and MDS have at home.
