Over on the Perficient Healthcare IT blog, my colleague Jamie Churchill had a great post this morning around the tablet battle in healthcare.
From her blog post, which you can read here, Jamie shares:
I came across an article this morning about the growing trend of doctors using tablets in healthcare – specifically the Microsoft Surface Pro and the Apple iPad. According Manhattan Research quoted in the article, 72% of healthcare providers now use tablets in their jobs. The iPad accounts for over half of the tablets used in healthcare delivery, and 40% of the overall tablet market, but the newly released Microsoft Surface Pro is also making a big play. According to MobiHealthNews, the healthcare tablet industry is expected to hit $63 million dollars in 2013 – that’s a lot of room for the Surface to challenge the iPad’s current hold on the healthcare market.
Each tablet has its positives and negatives – the iPad Mini is small, fitting easily in most hands as well as the pocket of standards lab coats. The Surface has an optional keyboard making data entry quick and easy. While the iPad has had a steady grip on the healthcare industry since its introduction in 2010, the Surface is a new player with great potential. Both tablet options allow physicians to view patient charts on the go and allows more freedom and flexibility in delivering care.
The article Jamie mentions, Microsoft Aims To Take On iPad In Health Care, features a video with doctors at Palmetto Health, one of the largest hospital systems in South Carolina, using – and loving – the Microsoft Surface Pro. Check it out below and let us know your thoughts: will other healthcare providers follow in Palmetto Health’s footsteps and move to the Surface Pro?
