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LIVEdigitally » Blog Archive » The Tablet That Nobody Really Wants…

The author presents some great points for the use of tablet computers in mainstream computing. However, do they have a home in heathcare? Jerry provides a good summary of their use on his website.

Jerry Fahrni » Tablet PCs in pharmacy practice – The technology

The biggest question for me is how will they fit with more portable devices, such as an iPhone?
I can see the need for 2 devices in healthcare. One that is extremely mobile, allowing touch/click access and workflows, mostly for viewing information. The second is for input. Let's face it, a slate tablet is really worse than many phones for input, and much less portable. It does have more screen real estate, but that is about it. For pharmacy practice directly, there is a need to review labs and patient information to make decisions. We also need to write notes. Most of this is done in the hospital environment, where we have access to computers. Maybe I am a cynic when is comes to this technology in the healthcare sector, but right now I do not see a firm niche for its use.