IDC Health Insights - Mobile Technology: Transforming Healthcare With Tablets

1. A N A L Y S T C O N N E C T I O N
Judy Hanover
Research Director, Provider IT Strategies, IDC Health Insights
Bob O'Donnell
Program Vice President, Clients and Displays, IDC
Mobile Technology: Transforming Healthcare
with Tablets
October 2011
Healthcare provider organizations have always had unique and demanding requirements for their
computing devices because of the highly mobile and data-intensive nature of the work involved, the
sensitivity of the information, and the physical environment in which the devices are used. As a result,
many provider organizations have been early adopters of mobile computing devices such as tablet
PCs. The adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and computerized physician order entry
(CPOE) at the point of care has created renewed interest in tablet devices as virtually all healthcare
organizations look at their options and determine what sort of tablet solutions adequately meet their
unique needs.
What many providers are discovering, however, is that increased choice in devices doesn't
necessarily translate into better opportunity. In fact, it often just leads to more confusion. Also, many
organizations are quickly realizing that you can't just pick the coolest new hardware because it
continues to be applications that drive an organization's effective use of a given technology.
The following questions were posed by Motion Computing and Intel to Judy Hanover, research
director of Provider IT Strategies at IDC Health Insights, and Bob O'Donnell, program vice president
of Clients and Displays at IDC, on behalf of Motion Computing's customers.
Q. Why are healthcare organizations looking to invest more in tablet PC–based mobile
point-of-care technologies?
A. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) created incentives for
providers who demonstrate meaningful use of clinical information technologies including
EHR and CPOE. This has resulted in a proliferation of clinical computing and data captured
in electronic form at the point of care, as providers implement clinical applications to
demonstrate meaningful use, a requirement to qualify for incentives under ARRA.
However, providers are resistant to change, and the workflow changes required to move from
paper chart–based processes to the new technology can impact the productivity and
efficiency of providers. Tablet PC–based mobile technologies present an opportunity for
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2. provider organizations to offer workflow solutions that make the new clinical applications
more attractive to providers and help to drive adoption. Using these devices at the point of
care allows providers to access patient records and lab results, place orders and document
care delivery in real time, leverage decision support to reduce medical errors, and drive care
collaboration by sharing information with other members of the care team.
Q. What are some of the challenges healthcare organizations face when adopting mobile
technology solutions?
A. Provider organizations face a number of challenges when adopting point-of-care computing.
Personal health information (PHI) is protected under HIPAA, and the consequences of data
breaches, both financially and to an organization's reputation, increased with ARRA. The
endpoint devices used at the point of care need to be secured to prevent breaches that may
result from theft or compromise of the devices. Clinical applications such as EHR must be
integrated with other systems, such as financial, billing, and departmental applications; the
devices in use must support multiple applications in an integrated environment. Endpoint
devices must support provider workflows. And tools such as single sign-on, continuous
sessions as providers move between patients, and barcode scanning to facilitate medication
administration can make providers more efficient and help them deliver better, safer care. In
many clinical environments, infection control measures require devices to be capable of
being disinfected and durable enough to withstand heavy use.
Q. What are some things to take into consideration with deploying a tablet/mobility
solution?
A. Provider organizations selecting a tablet/mobility solution for use in a clinical setting must
consider the current EHR and other applications in use, the environment in which the devices
will be used, the security and manageability of the devices, the performance and network
requirements, and the preferences of providers. Ongoing vendor support and the tracking
and maintenance of the devices are also concerns.
Most healthcare organizations run Windows-based applications, so it's important for them to
have tablet devices that run Windows or that can provide easy access to Windows-based
applications. While some alternative platforms have received a great deal of press, it can be
very challenging and/or expensive for IT departments to integrate multiple platforms into a
solution. In addition, the workflow in the clinical environment may make using a pen or a
stylus for data input, not just finger-based touch input, attractive. If an organization is running
applications that need to support integration with medical devices, solutions that can be
connected to larger external displays via a docking station or computer on wheels (COW)
may be considered.
Finally, organizations also need to consider potential training costs when deploying new
devices and new solutions. If users are faced with an entirely new environment, longer and
more expensive training sessions to make them feel comfortable and productive with the new
tools are often required. If, on the other hand, the healthcare staff senses some kind of
continuity or familiarity with existing tools and applications, the training process can be
shorter and less expensive.
Q. How is the move to cloud-based technologies impacting tablet deployments in
healthcare?
A. Providers are increasingly leveraging cloud-based solutions for clinical and administrative
applications. The benefits of this approach include the freedom to access these applications
and data from many different types of devices and, in some cases, many different locations.
2 ©2011 IDC

3. There are costs and complexities involved in making this transition, but many healthcare
provider organizations have begun the process because they believe the long-term benefits
will be important to them for a number of reasons. First, it can provide the flexibility for
workers to conduct certain nonsensitive tasks outside the healthcare facility. Second, many
younger workers have grown up expecting to have mobile, anytime/anywhere access to
information, and providing that kind of flexibility in the work environment can help create a
more satisfying work experience.
Mobile devices, such as tablets, can be a critical enabler in these environments because they
allow data viewing and data entry to occur anywhere within the facility, even while workers
are standing next to a patient or moving from room to room. For sensitive medical record
data, devices that integrate the ability to create secure connections (via either hardware- or
software-based solutions) can also be a critical enabling factor.
In many of these cloud-type environments, tablets can function as mobile thin clients,
providing access to the applications and data stored securely in the organization's
datacenter, but keeping the actual data off the device. That way, in the event the mobile
device is lost, stolen, or damaged, no critical data will be lost or stolen.
A B O U T T H E S E A N A L Y S T S
Judy Hanover provides research, market analysis, and consulting on healthcare information technology, strategy, and best
practices for both inpatient and ambulatory healthcare settings at IDC Health Insights. Her understanding of healthcare
information technology is based on her experience working in the healthcare provider and payer vendor community, as well
as her experience with healthcare IT end users.
Bob O'Donnell is vice president of IDC's Clients and Displays research. In this role, O'Donnell is responsible for tracking
hardware developments that impact PCs, notebooks, thin clients, and other computing devices, as well as the ODM
production of notebooks. He also leads IDC's Displays research program, where he tracks both the sales and the
technology trends affecting the worldwide market for computer televisions, monitors, projectors, and related technologies,
as well as the market for large LCD panels and ODM production of monitors and TVs.
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