WebPT Blog
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1 CommentsJan 31, 2011| Mike Mannheimer
Thank you to everyone who attended our webinar last week on "iPad use for the Physical Therapists." For those of you who couldn’t attend the webinar, we will be posting a recorded version of the presentation on our website in the near future. Each of the sessions we hosted for the webinar ended with a 15 minute Q&A period. This gave us at WebPT some valuable insight into the concerns of the modern physical therapy clinic.We will use this space here to address any questions that may not have been answered in our iPad webinar presentation. We encourage you to ask additional questions in the comments of this post, so we may add them to this list.
Frequently Asked Questions About the iPad
How can I print from the iPad?The new iPad operating system has enabled the ability to wirelessly print. You will have to use the Apple ‘Share’ Icon to use this feature. The final option in the dropdown menu that appears should be print. See if your printer is ‘Airprint’ capable here.
Do I have to install extra security measures to use the iPad in the healthcare situations?
WebPT is an encrypted application that has built in security measures. The iPad will not undermine any of the security features we have in place. I would suggest setting up a password protected wireless network as well as a password lock on the iPad itself.Does Dragon Voice Recognition Software work with the iPad?
Nuance Communication has created an iPad app for the Dragon Naturally Speaking Software. Our members who use it gave us some good feedback on its efficiency in healthcare applications. Follow this link to learn more about Dragon software. -
Jan 31, 2011| Heidi Jannenga PT
The iPad has so far dominated the conversation in the healthcare world when it comes to mobile technology, but there are a few shortcomings being pointed out by medical professionals. Most of these shortcomings can be circumvented through planning and consideration, but these things may be opening the door for other technology providers to make their way into the medical world. For instance, if you are still using a desktop application in your clinic process, it simply will not integrate with the iPad. A hurdle of this sort can be overcome in one of two ways. You can either employ a different EMR or you can evaluate other mobile devices.
In case the iPad turns out to not be a viable option for your clinic, here are a few options for alternative mobile tablet technologies from other vendors:
Samsung Galaxy Tab
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is an Android competitor to the iPad. It is a bit smaller coming in with a 7-inch display. It has a camera and does multi-tasking well. This product seems like a great option for competition and costs about the same as an iPad. it does have an App Store but its not nearly as robust as the iPad App Store. This product hasn't been fully integrated into the medical world just yet, and as information of user experience pours in, we'll be sure to give you the updates.Panasonic Toughbook 1
The Panasonic Toughbook laptop was specifically designed for the medical field. What the iPad lacks in resistance to liquids and overall unsanitary environments, the Toughbook makes up for in rugged durable construction. This technology is more of a laptop than a tablet and the price does reflect that. It costs around $3,300. -
Jan 25, 2011| Heidi Jannenga PT
Thinking about getting an Apple iPad to do your documentation in the clinic? There are a few important things to consider before investing your hard earned money in an iPad, especially with clinical use in mind. We all know that the iPad does not come cheap, so to prevent any buyer's remorse we have created this buying guide to make sure you get the iPad that is right for you in the clinic. Following this guide will get you up and running with the best iPad possible in no time.
How Much Memory to Buy?
Many consumers get confused by the three memory sizes available that Apple currently offers. This refer to the storage space that comes with each model: 16GB, a 32GB, and 64GB memory. The iPad was made to store photos and music and these size differences refer to that functionality. Unless you are saving thousands of PDFs, you could potentially get away with the 16GB of storage space. If you use a web-based EMR, like WebPT, then you need not pay the $100 upgrade for more storage, because most, if not all, of your business files will be stored on WebPT servers.Wi-Fi or 3G Internet?
The biggest dilemma for most is whether or not you want the Wi-Fi enabled or the 3G version of the iPad. This is really going to depend on where you are going to be using your iPad the most. If your clinic has secure Wi-Fi and that is the only location that you will be utilizing the iPad, then the Wi-Fi only version is perfect. If your clinic is currently hardwired to the internet, you can easily ask your network administrator to set up a wireless router for use with iPad. -
Jan 23, 2011| Heidi Jannenga PT
Our clinical environment is changing with the advancements in technology. The iPad can be a useful tool to bridge the internet gap by making software tools and information available at the point of service with your patients for education and specific clinic tasks.
Staying with our theme this month of use of the iPad in the PT clinical setting, here are my favorite iPad apps that are available for Physical Therapists. To explore iPad apps, simply to the App Store in iTunes on your Windows or Mac computer, then choose “App Store” at the top of your screen in the navigation bar. Once you are into the App Store, you will see that there are quite a few “Medical” apps available, and with a quick search, apps that are specific for PTs. Most are not free in this category, but all have reviews and descriptions that you can browse through before buying. We will also be reviewing some of these Apps in our free webinar on "The iPad for PTs" next week on either Thursday January 27 11am EST or Saturday January 29 12pm EST.
There are 3 main types of iPad apps for PTs:
- Patient education
- Staff/student education/reference
- Actual clinical tools
Here are my top 10 iPad apps by topic:
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Jan 12, 2011| Heidi Jannenga PT
As we start a new year and a new decade, many of us want to start fresh with something that can improve our lives. 2011 has the potential for some game changing technological innovations in healthcare.In April 2010, Apple released the iPad, which has taken the world by storm. More importantly it has given healthcare professionals mobility, easy access to web-based EMR, real time data access and a more interactive method of patient education. It is not the answer for everything, but it is a great tool that is less intimidating to patients than a laptop or computer.
PTs have embraced the iPad with enthusiasm. One of the most common questions that we get at WebPT is "Can I complete my documentation on the iPad?" Approximately 20% of WebPT users have iPads in their clinics as the point of service tool of choice. There are different opinions on how much the iPad can really impact healthcare, but the iPad and other tablet computers are already becoming very practical and useful.
Here are the three main benefits of the iPad for for therapy clinical care:
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Jan 9, 2011| Heidi Jannenga PT
By now you have heard all of the buzz surrounding the Apple iPad, which is already one of the most revolutionary tech products to hit the healthcare industry. Over 20% of US physicians planned to buy the iPad before it was released. Pundits are now calling 2011, "The Year of the Tablet."Many WebPT members use an iPad for their documentation and more PTs have surely received or bought one for Christmas. After you sift through all the indiscriminant praise and the coffee-table novelty of this product, you are probably hit with an all too real question: How do I actually implement this product into my professional life? There is a current statistic that 30-50% of EMR implementations fail due to poor planning and potential technophobia.
If you are ready with iPad in hand, there are some key things you need to know regarding implementation using an EMR in your PT clinic. There are simply a few things that a PT, OT, or any healthcare provider should know before running out and spending the $500 on a new iPad.
1. Does your EMR work on the iPad?
Most EMR software is older, Windows-based software that will not work on the iPad at all. If you are using a modern, web-based EMR software like WebPT, you can use your iPad to run your EMR software wherever you have an Internet connection. WebPT works on the iPad without any tricks or additional software. If your current EMR claims to be compatible with smartphones and tablet computers, make sure you actually test it before diving in.
