The iPhone was one of the biggest success stories of the last decade, truly changing the way the most people look at their phones. A large part of this success is undeniably due to the App Store. More than just a communication tool, the iPhone has given the mass market easy access to all kinds of applications, games, maps, web browsers, journals – you name it – with the tap of a touchscreen.
But Apple’s device has potential outside consumer applications. More and more organisations are looking at how the device’s usability and flexibility can be used to improve efficiency. And certainly, the potential of the iPhone hasn’t gone unnoticed by us. At the Ideaworks Amsterdam event last week, I announced that we were developing Lorenzo for iPhone. The application will provide health care professionals with on-the-go access to key functions of our larger healthcare solution, making their lives much easier.
One of the main objectives of Lorenzo for iPhone is to reduce the sizeable administrative burden that nurses experience. With the application, nurses can register basic patient information such as pulse and temperature through their iPhones at the point of care, so that it doesn’t accumulate throughout the day. The application will also provide clinicians with real-time access to patient information. If a doctor wants to look up a patient’s x-ray results or medical history, all they have to do is look at his or her phone. Our goal is to let medical professionals work more easily, more efficiently and, most importantly, provide a better quality patient care.
This type of technology is gaining momentum in the healthcare industry. Whether it’s smartphones, or custom-built devices, doctors and nurse are eager to find ways to simplify administration and increase time spent with patients. The iPhone approach offers some unique benefits: having this technology on employee’s own iPhones could save organisations a fortune in the long term – portable patient management will become a reality, at the cost of a phone application. Plus, with more efficient day to day operations, budgets are likely to stretch a lot further. The concept could even be expanded to tablet PCs, like the new iPad.
In short, it’s a very interesting time for the healthcare industry. Easier access to information and administrative functions through portable devices will revolutionise the way medical professionals work. Personally, I’m excited by the possibilities.