Paper Based Check-in a Thing of the Past with the drchrono iPad App

I hate checking in at the doctor’s office.  No matter what type of doctor it is, or how many times you have been to that very same office, it seems like there is always a stack of paper for you to fill out.  Having moved quite a bit in my life I have regularly had new doctors, dentists, and other medical providers.  That means even more forms for lucky little me.

With the development of the drchrono iPad app, all of that hand cramping writing may very well be a thing of the past.  According to an article from medGadget this new app, called OnPatient, will help reduce, or even eliminate all of that paperwork check-in hassle.

The new app is free, and only requires the purchase of the iPad units for patients to use.  The patient uses a simple touchscreen interface to enter personal and insurance information, and even to digitally sign the HIPAA consent form.

In terms of the healthcare provider, it is also convenient because the information automatically populates in the drchrono EHR.  Obviously that means you must be using their EHR, but this is definitely a feature with a tremendous amount of value added.

It is great to see the move of healthcare technology towards patient convenience.  In order for EHR/EMR to really take off, that is the move that needs to be made.  Patients are ultimately the customer in healthcare so this technology will not reach its pinnacle until customers see the value themselves.

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August 30, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Apple  Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPad  Mobile Health Care  Tablets
Tags:drchrono EHR  drchrono iPad App  Electronic HIPAA Consent  Free iPad Healthcare Apps  iPad Check-in App

$80 Android Phone Changing the Smartphone Market

At first glance $80 for a smartphone doesn’t really seem like that amazing of a deal.  Especially when you consider that is has a smaller screen, less processing power, and fewer megapixels in the camera.  But, when you consider that this is the price for the phone without any type of contract it becomes a little bit more interesting.

The phone is the Android powered IDEOS from the Chinese company Huawei.  It was released earlier this year in Kenya and has already been bought by 350,000+ Kenyans.  In an area of the world that is stricken by poverty, this device is bringing the wonders of the smartphone to people who could never have afforded such a luxury in the past.

In comparison to the major smartphones on the market right now, namely the iPhone4, DroidX2, and Blackberry Bold, it does not have the same level of technology.  The screen is relatively small, though larger than the screen on the Blackberry Bold.  The RAM is half of that of the major smartphones, and the battery life is worse as well.

However, when you consider the cost it is incredibly reasonable.  The IDEOS sells for about $80 with no contract, compared to the iPhone4 at $800, the DroidX2 at $700, and the Blackberry Bold at $600 without a contract.  That means you can get a phone for 85-90% less than the big boys.

It is also uses the Android OS which means that the sky is limit with 300,000+ apps.  The open source software makes it possible for apps to be developed in developing countries in ways that would never be possible with Apple or Blackberry’s stringent requirements.  This makes these cheap phones even more useful in these poor countries.

Apps are being developed to help farmers better market their products, and even track diseases that can destroy farming which is a huge part of most African nation’s economies.

In the sphere of this blog, I have already written about all kinds of apps and gadgets being developed specifically with Africa in mind.  This phone makes those devices that much more useful.  One of the most exciting of these is Medkenya which is essentially the same as WebMD here in the states.  It provides information and resources to people that would never have had them in the past.

By encouraging the rapid spread of smartphone usage in Africa it is not unreasonable to think more apps could be developed to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases or maybe even an HIV-testing peripheral that would do wonders to help slow the spread of that terrible disease.

We already take a lot of technology for granted in the US, and that is understandable.  We use our phones for games, and news, and sports scores, and even to buy our coffee at Starbucks now.  The difference for the people in these developing countries is that his technology can save their lives quite literally by providing medical assistance at a level they never would have had without smartphones.  This idea is summed up quite well by Dr. Bitange Ndemo, Kenya’s Minister of Information and Communication:

In the beginning of the 21st century, the mobile telephone was the reserve of an elite few and the gadget’s sole purpose was to make phone calls and send text messages. Today, all this has changed and the mobile phone is no longer a luxury but a necessity. By morphing and adopting into various aspects of our lives, the mobile phone has gone beyond its original purpose of phone calls and text messages and it now serves as a bank, a computer a radio and a television set among other things. In a nutshell, it has penetrated every aspect of our lives.

Personally, I have never seen a cell phone as a necessity despite the fact that I have one and really value all of the features that it gives me.  The difference is that I live somewhere with plenty of doctors and hospitals, and everything else I could ever want.  These inexpensive cellphones are providing an improvement in the quality of life for these people that would otherwise take decades more of development.

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August 26, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Android  Apple  Blackberry  Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPhone  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
Tags:African Smartphone  Android OS Phones  Cheap Android Phone  Dr. Bitange Ndemo  Huawei  IDEOS  Inexpensive Android Phone  MedKenya  

Games for Health: A New Peer Reviewed Journal on the Application of Digital Games to Human Health

Since I was a little kid I have tried to convince my parents, and now my wife, that playing games is good for me.  Generally, I relied upon the argument that it helped build hand-eye coordination, which I still believe is true.  Now there is a medical journal that addresses the topic.  While not intended to support the argument of kids who just want to sit inside and play games it does provide interesting medical discussion of the benefits that gaming can have.

So that I don’t leave any of the brilliance of this new development out here is the description off of their website:

Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications (G4H) is a new, bi-monthly peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the development, use, and applications of game technology for improving physical and mental health and well-being. The Journal breaks new ground as the first to address this emerging, widely-recognized, and increasingly adopted area of healthcare.

Games are rapidly becoming an important tool for improving health behaviors ranging from healthy lifestyle habits and behavior modification to self-management of illness and chronic conditions to motivating and supporting physical activity. Games are also increasingly used to train health care professionals in methods for diagnosis, medical procedures, patient monitoring, as well as for responding to epidemics and natural disasters. G4H is a must for anyone interested in the research and design of health games that integrate well-tested, evidence-based behavioral health strategies to help improve health behaviors and to support the delivery of care.

Games for Health coverage includes:

  • Nutrition, weight management, obesity
  • Disease prevention, self-management, and adherence
  • Cognitive, mental, emotional, and behavioral health
  • Games in home-to-clinic telehealth systems

Games for Health key benefits:

  • Demonstrates the benefits of games for improving the way people manage their health and for the delivery of care both in for everything from autism to Alzheimer’s to heart disease and other illnesses and conditions
  • Offers simulation and training for health providers for using games to improve fitness, reduce obesity and overcome injuries, and for behavior modification for those suffering from battlefield post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Fosters interdisciplinary dialog on controversial issues associated with games for health such as:
- Frequency, intensity and duration for minimum and optimum results
- Socio-economic and demographic factors in use, compliance and results
- Injuries and unintended consequences and improper usage and techniques
      - Powerful editorial team comprised of the world’s leading researchers, industry    experts and health professionals using games for health

      Audience: health professionals; researchers in fields of physiology, psychology, psychiatry, communications, public health, education, sociology, humanities and computer science; game developers; health care providers; occupational and physical therapists; for-profit game developers; and retailers of games and gaming equipment; among others.

      In all seriousness, I feel that gaming can provide a good influence for health.  Systems like the Nintendo Wii, XBox Kinect, and the Playstation Move are getting kids, and adults, off the couch and at least moving a little.  Some of those games build up a pretty good sweat even.  Way beyond that new games are helping educate people with serious illnesses, and helping people to better manage their health.

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      August 24, 2011 I Written By

      Filed Under: Health Care  Health Games  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care

      Health Apps That Put Consumers First are the Most Successful

      Healthcare apps are still relatively new to the app market, and their widespread use is still in its infancy.  As developers look to create new, and more successful apps, the would be wise to look at other successful consumer apps.  According to a report from the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality they key to successful app development is putting the users first.

      Now to me this seems like a normal government report where we spend tons of money on research to show something that is obvious to anyone with half a brain, but it is worth discussing anyway.  There are a few criteria that developers need to focus on when it comes to appealing to the users.

      Considering human factors such as the limitations and obstacles that a user of your app might face.  If you are able to remove those restrictive attributes then you improve ease of use which is a major player when it comes to user satisfaction.  In the end, the more satisfied a user is with your product the more likely they are to keep using it and recommend it to their friends.

      One of my favorite sayings has always been, Keep It Simple Stupid.  In technology maybe more than anywhere else developers have a tendency to put as many features as possible into one place.  According to this study, they found that people actually want a relatively simple app.  They want to see results with only one or two clicks, and they don’t want to be bogged down with huge menus or screens full of choices.  When you really think about it, it makes sense.  An app that can do everything may rarely get used because it is so cumbersome, but a sleek, effective app will get used all the time because of its efficiency.

      Allowing customization at some level is also an important attribute.  While there may only be limited amounts of customization available it is important that users be able to make an app there own.  Look at the massive amounts of money that people spend on cell-phone cases, electronic wallpapers, and even different face plates for their XBox.  These things in no way improve the performance of the device, but people eat them up because it allows their individuality.  While I don’t think this is necessary in terms of looking to make a profit, but customization is something that most consumers love to see, whether they use it or not.

      It may seem obvious that apps should be developed with users in mind, but if you look around, there is tons of stuff out there that clearly met the wants of the developer with no thought of what the user would want.  However, the most successful apps are those that put the customer first during initial development, and throughout the life of the product.

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      August 22, 2011 I Written By

      Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
      Tags:Healthcare App Customization  Healthcare App Development  Improved App User Interface  Simplicity of Healthcare Apps  US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

      Personal Health Records in the Form of a Digital Dog Tag

      Dog tags may be one of the simplest and oldest forms of identification and health information that we have.  They first appeared in some form during the Civil War and are still in use by the military today.  These vital pieces of ID provide information such as name, service, and religion.  More importantly they provide basic health information such as blood type and known allergies.

      Asahi Kasei, a Japanese technology company, is taking the dog tag to the next level with the development of a “digital dog tag”.  This small RFID tag contains your personal health record providing on the spot data to healthcare providers using a phone or a laptop.  The tag uses Sony’s FeliCa smart card technology which is already in use on numerous Japanese devices.

      Within a matter of seconds a paramedic, or clinician, can use compatible equipment to retrieve your entire medical history.  If larger files are required the tag can also provide the links necessary to access information on external servers.

      It really isn’t that expensive either.  The device should come onto the market within the next year for about $25.  That really is quite reasonable for a 3x3cm card that could be the difference between living and dying.

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      August 16, 2011 I Written By

      Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care
      Tags:Asahi Kasei  Digital Dog Tag  Emergency PHR  FeliCa Smart Card Technology  Personal Health Record  RFID Tag

      mHealth’s Role in Meaningful Use

      Maybe the biggest words in the healthcare world right now are meaningful use.  This is not overly surprising when you consider that doctors could receive tens of thousands of dollars if they can demonstrate meaningful use.  One area that I have not seen much discussion of, when it comes to meaningful use, is the role that mHealth can play in this exciting new area.

      One of the editors, Sara Jackson, from Fierce Mobile Healthcare wrote an interesting editorial about the very topic.  She brings up a number of very interesting points on the matter:

      Quoting Dr. Jagadish Navare, “Any devices that make it easier for physicians to interact with electronic health records, while maintaining focus on the patient, help to achieve meaningful use by enabling the use of certified EHRs by physicians.”  This is really the overlying theme of the editorial, and really gets to the heart of the topic.  The whole point of EHR’s, meaningful use, and numerous other medical initiatives that are currently taking place is to streamline the healthcare system.  Smartphones provide a valuable link in this endeavor though it is not at the level that many doctors would like.

      Remote sensor monitoring is a promising way to meet this “improving quality” criteria, allowing data on patient vitals to be collected automatically and updated to the patient record.  This may be the single simplest advance that could make a huge difference in healthcare efficiency.  I don’t know how many times I have gone to a doctor’s office, been taken into a room and had my vitals taken, then gone back to the waiting room to wait even longer.  So much time could be saved by using mobile devices to take vitals and have it sent straight into an EHR.  There are already wireless devices out there that can take vitals and transmit that information, so I would imagine this development is not too far off.

      Facilitating patient and family engagement. On this criteria, patients have made it clear they prefer mobile communication whenever possible (text messaging, email, smartphone apps, etc.)…Larsen also pointed out that patients clearly want information such as health reminders, follow-up messages and preventive care alerts sent electronically.  Really no surprise here.  The world is becoming electronic with everything, and healthcare is no different.  I have a stack of papers on my counter from doctor’s visits for me and my kids mixed in with bills, ads, and various other papers and mail.  No you may say that I just need to be more organized, but how much easier would it be for me to be able to pull up an email, or access an app or website from my doctor that retains the information for as long as I want it.  This would also make it infinitely easier for patients to communicate with their healthcare providers.

      The whole editorial is well worth the read and brings up a very interesting topic of discussion.  I really feel like mHealth may be the difference in taking healthcare technology to the next level.  Doctors and patients are going to have to be able to better interface for the next level of technological progress to be achieved.

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      August 11, 2011 I Written By

      Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  Medical Devices  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
      Tags:Certified EHR  Dr. Jagadish Navare  Electronic Patient Alerts  Fierce Mobile Healthcare  mHealth in Meaningful Use  Remote Sensor Monitoring  Sara Jackson  Smartphone Collaboration With EHR

      How the Medtronic Carelink app Prevented a Visit to the ER

      As I browse the internet looking at different healthcare gadgets and apps and devices the information that I find is almost exclusively “kool-aid”.  By that I mean that the information is provided by the developer to tell you what it is supposed to do, or what was demonstrated in controlled testing.  If you look at very many technology releases you will find that no matter how many tests you put something through, consumers will prove your claims contrary in one way or another.

      So it was extremely refreshing when I came across about how an iPhone app that he uses prevented a visit for one of his patients to the ER.  Dr. Fisher is a cardiologist with a specialty in cardiac electrophysiology, or heart rhythm disorders.

      The app that he used is the Medtronic Carelink app which is available for free on the Apple iTunes App store for licensed care providers.  The app allows doctors to receive information about their patients from essentially anywhere allowing them to direct the patient to the proper course of action.  In the case he records it prevented a trip to the ER, but ultimately led to a revision of the patient’s care.

      The uses a lot of words that may only mean something to a cardiologist, but the moral of the story is valuable to anyone that may be considering using a mobile application: when they are developed and used properly apps can be an extremely useful tool to patients and doctors.  In this instance it saved a trip to the ER, it is not unreasonable to think that it eventually could save a life.

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      August 8, 2011 I Written By

      Filed Under: Apple  Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPhone  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
      Tags:Apple iTunes Store  Cardiac Electrophysiology  Cardiology Apps  Heart Rhythm Disorder Monitoring  iPhone Medical Apps  Lifesaving Apps  Medtronic Carelink App

      Cleaning Your Screen with Microfiber Cloth

      As more and more people get SmartPhones and other iPad like devices, more and more people are asking how to clean these devices. While it’s great to be able to have a touch screen device, it always means that you’re going to have fingerprints all over your screen. Plus, if you’re like me, your kids borrow the device and then it really needs a nice cleaning.

      With this as background, I must admit that I was excited to try out the microfiber screen cleaning cloth from Cloth Addiction. They were nice enough to send me some clothes so I could try them out.

      When I first got them, I took it straight to my cell phone, TV screen and monitor. To be honest I was a little disappointed at first. Then, I saw the recommendation to dampen the cloth a little bit. I got it slightly damp and then I saw the results that I thought I’d see the first time. Cleaned the grease streaks and smudges right off.

      My favorite part of the micro-fiber towel is that it didn’t leave all the cloth fibers behind. you know what I mean. You wipe something off with your shirt and it ends up dirtier after you wiped it off because your shirt left behind all those fibers. This micro-fiber cloth was great, because it didn’t leave any of those fibers behind.

      Here’s a youtube video which shows the micro fiber cloth in action:

      I was quite happy with this cloth. Much better than any other cloth that I’ve ever used. Plus, I think my wife loved the idea that I was cleaning up. I can see a lot of doctors carrying one of these around in their pocket to clean off their iPad or other Smart Phone.

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      August 2, 2011 I Written By

      John Lynn is the Founder of the HealthcareScene.com blog network which currently consists of 15 blogs containing almost 6000 articles with John having written over 3000 of the articles himself. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 14 million times. John also manages Healthcare IT Central and Healthcare IT Today, the leading career Health IT job board and blog. John launched two new companies: InfluentialNetworks.com and Physia.com, and is an advisor to docBeat. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can also be found on Twitter: and and .

      Filed Under: Healthcare IT  iPad  iPhone  Medical Devices  Smart Phones
      Tags:Cloth Addiction    Micro Fiber Clothes  Smart Phone

      Mycrisisrecords: Providing Critical Information During an Emergency

      There are few things in life more difficult than going through a medical emergency.  In many emergencies there is next to nothing that you can do to help those giving you medical care because you are generally incapacitated.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of information that they need to have to give you the best care possible.

      There is now a way to get that information to the people who could save your life without you being able to communicate with them.  Mycrisisrecords (MCR) has developed a system for getting all of your important medical information to doctors at the hospital, or even paramedics on the scene.

      They offer a few different options when it comes to sharing your information with medical personnel: My Crisis Card and the My Crisis Capsule.

      The My Crisis Card is just what it sounds like: a card that you can carry in your wallet.  The card provides basic information such as your name, an emergency contact name and number, and the name and phone number of your physician.  It also provides a My Crisis Record ID number that can be used to access your personal health record.  There are also instructions for the first responder to gain access to your record through the mycrisisrecords website, or to call and get help from an operator. 

      The MCR release of the My Crisis Card is the first mobile healthcare technology solution to have fully integrated QR technology.  Using the QR code a first responder could simply scan the code on their smartphone to retrieve your vital medical information and forward it to the emergency room before you even get there.  When every second counts in saving your life, this could be the difference.

      The second offering is the My Crisis Capsule.  This brilliant little device is essentially just a thumbdrive that millions of people around the world carry to school and work everyday.  The difference with this little thumbdrive is that it contains access to your personal health record, and could possibly save your life.  All a healthcare professional has to do is plug it into a computer and they have access to your vital medical information.  Again, saving minutes, or even seconds that could be the difference in saving your life.

      In conjunction with these tools, there is also a mobile web app that allows you to more easily keep your personal health record up to date.  This would be even more useful for people who have serious, or chronic health problems where there are regular doctors visits and your health information could be changing regularly.  It is also essential with these major illnesses for healthcare professionals to have access to that information to give you proper treatment.

      One drawback that I do see is the cost.  It ranges from $25 to $65 a year per person.  While that may not seem like a lot, and in terms of saving your life it really isn’t, it may not be something that everyone can afford.  I for one think long and hard about anything that I will have to continue to pay for year after year.  While I don’t think this will be a major hurdle to jump I do think it will prevent some people from considering it.

      The major news for this company is the release of MCR Africa.  Anyone who follows this blog, and many other healthcare blogs, has seen the reoccurring trend of healthcare technology in Africa.  There are so many reasons why Africa is perfect for these technologies, and they may very well prove to be the breeding grounds for success for many of these companies.

      Another feature that may prove even more valuable in Africa is the usefulness of this technology in the midst of an emergency.  Not only can you receive better medical care, but it will be easier for healthcare providers to contact your friends and family so they can learn about your situation.

      There are so many new devices out there that it can be hard to know which ones are worth anything.  While the technology involved may not seem groundbreaking compared to some of the amazing stuff out there, It is not always something groundbreaking that may save your life.  It may be something as simple as a card in your wallet, or a thumbdrive on your keychain.

      For more information about mycrisisrecords please visit their website at www.mycrisisrecords.com

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      August 1, 2011 I Written By

      Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care
      Tags:Africa  MCR  mHealth Africa  Mobile Health Africa  My Crisis Capsure  My Crisis Card  My Crisis Record