Will the iPad Impact Health Practices?

Friday, March 19, 2010

(Marla Shaivitz) -- Like many technology professionals (and consumers) I’ve been curious about Apple’s iPad and implications regarding the area of health and lifestyle management.

Whether the iPad will take off or not is at this point clearly a matter of opinion (since few people have used it). Information available so far has come through the lens of whether the reviewer sees application in his/her life/work. There are the detractors who make the argument that the iPad is a large iPhone, with less functionality (e.g. no camera as of yet, although it may on release day). However, there are others who are enthusiastic about it, and there are some who see promising applications for it in regards to Health 2.0. It has helped me to think of the iPad as not so much a tablet computer, which it is of course, (these have been around for a while with more functionality) but as a potential “personal lifestyle management device” as I’ve seen it referred to.

The iPhone has changed phone development, and it was apparent early on that when Apple opened up the code for app development it was going to be huge. With this history, support through a robust community of users, the strength of iTunes and over 140,000 apps I believe it’s safe to say that the iPad will do the same for e-readers and/or tablets.

Apple received roughly 120,000 pre-orders on the first day – this quote puts the interest level of the public in perspective:

“Apple has been able to generate over $75 million in revenue in one day on a product that 99.9% of purchasers haven't touched or for that matter, even seen in person," said Victor Castroll, an analyst with Valcent Financial Group. "And, we're still three weeks away. That is amazing."

Here is an interesting article in a Health 2.0 blog that lays out the situation for consumer health: http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2010/02/why-the-ipad-matters-for-healthcare-.html

From the article:

“iPhone apps like Lose It! and BabyBump are already laying the groundwork for this approach by letting people calibrate their health decisions to their specific circumstances. The iPad et al should be able to do the same, but with a larger more captivating and immersive presence.”

Developers need to create apps that are intuitive and work like people’s brains work – you can’t use keyboard or mouse shortcuts on an iPad. The simple interface will allow populations that may have been intimidated by a computer/keyboard to engage with information technology like they haven’t in the past:

“…. older populations, people with chronic conditions, meaning the population consuming the majority of our healthcare spending. If the iPad can engage these people on better treatment and behaviors, the savings – in terms of dollars and lives – could be radical. Seamless hardware and intuitive software - will be a terrific way to engage individuals in health information that’s relevant, timely, and meaningful.”

Would it make sense to wait to purchase one now or wait until later generations are released? It may, it may not. It’s not like people don’t use 1st generation iPhones anymore, because they do. Looking at the iPad as a communications device, I’ve come up with the following benefits, along with the most mentioned deficits of the device:

Pros	Cons
Large screen	No USB – although the 30 pin connector allows connections to projectors and other devices
Excellent to read from – serious rival to Kindle and Nook (black and white vs. full color touch screen)	No Printing from Device - you need to email it to yourself to print
eHealth implications with tablets (described above)	10 hours of Battery Life
Undoubtedly will be additional apps for the iPad	Need iWork for iPad to have office apps – Google docs would be a work around.
See additional ideas below.	Doesn’t support Flash (people want to watch NetFlix and use Hulu on it). Supports HTML5, and there is talk of a NetFlix app for it. There is no flash support for iPhone – most people don’t even miss it.
	Connection to ATT and another data plan for 3G use – there has been grumbling about this
	Only one application can run at a time (unlike a computer or Android phone, where you can chat and have a browser open)

Criticism of the device can be found in this article and its comments (this is analogous to most articles on this topic):

iPad: Perfectly flawed: http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=7590&tag=content;wrapper

Another Health 2.0 article with supporting arguments is here: http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2010/02/the-ipads-10-insights-for-md-success-in-health.html . This article contains a top 10 list of reasons the iPad will support consumer health initiatives.

An excerpt:

Gaming4Health Anytime, Anywhere – From YouTube, Facebook, TV, Radio, Books, Gaming, Music, and going to dinner, the mobile electronic fireplace just got a bright new view on life. We are social animals and mobile devices in the image of the iPad connect us, surround us, support us and entertain us. More people now spend time gaming online than watching videos. Facebook and MySpace have gaming as a central part of their growth strategies. (Cue the eFuturist voice) “The MD – Mobile Device is … the future of fitness, health and healthcare!” The iPad will help change the “I should” of health care to “I Get to” achieve my fitness and health goals with family and friends.

Building Connections with Bricks & Mobile – Follow the yellow brick…mobile. MDs (Mobile Devices) not M.D.s (Medical Doctors) are the most important health appliance today and tomorrow. Healthcare providers must drop the “Bricks and Mortar” mindset and move to “Bricks and Mobile.” Success will be measured not in physical locations, but in the number of Mobile Devices like the Droid, iPhone and iPad that run your “care” button. And the key to making mobile work lies in enabling fitness and health in “person” centered, game-like approaches that makes health fun and entertaining – or “productive entertainment.”

The Doctor is Always “In” – The iPad will be an extremely powerful and engaging way for health care professionals to interact and connect with people. It is not only an incredible resource “Open 24/7,” but also an awesome and awe-inspiring jack of all trades tool. It will be an empowerment tool. The potential to extend care every minute of every day through innovative business models opens new avenues for connection, communication and care in all forms.

An Apple – iPad - a Day Keeps the Doctor Away – The iPad and similar MDs (Mobile Devices) will enable and support people by delivering a vast array of fitness, health and medical applications anytime, anywhere from the ubiquitous cloud of connectivity. Plus it will activate and support us in getting fitter with friends and family through the power of connected social networks. Obesity is viral. Health is viral. An Apple iPad will continue the trend of activating people to get fit with friends as part of our community.

Apple fans are enthusiastic about the iPad, others are skeptical – it all depends on whether you see application for the device in your work/life.