No matter where you live, one fact of life seems constant: going to the doctor means filling out forms. In order to treat patients, doctors must gain important patient information. Details such as a person’s age, weight, and medical problems are vital. Unfortunately, handing patients large clipboards and asking people to fill out essential information is time consuming, inefficient, and largely outdated.
A new app for the iPad called OnPatient aims to change the way that patients fill out forms. Instead of being handed a clipboard and numerous sheets of paper, some patients may soon be handed an iPad. This would eliminate the need for paperwork while also providing a way for doctor’s to gain instant patient information.
How OnPatient Works
After handing an iPad equipped with OnPatient to a patient, the app will ask people a number of health questions. Standard weight, height, and medication questions are included in the app. Photographs can also be taken for record purposes. Filling out the online app form takes only a few minutes, and the information gained is automatically transferred to another medical program called Drchrono (an electronic health record system).
As soon as a doctor is ready to visit with a patient, every bit of information needed is already at the doctor’s fingertips. There’s no need for a secretary to file this information or for a doctor to remain in the dark when waiting for important patient details. In short, OnPatient will revolutionize the way that the medical system works in most countries. Yet, there are a few drawbacks.
Possible Problems
The most obvious problem with the OnPatient app is that it only works with Apple’s iPad. Why is this a problem? The iPad is expensive. Many medical doctors and hospitals may not be able to afford such an expensive device. The second problem is that the iPad can be easily stolen. Handing an iPad to patients in a small town doctor’s office may work, but this doesn’t seem feasible in larger areas.
Instead, it is highly likely that many iPads would be stolen rendering the whole process useless. Then again, business owners and hospitals have insurance to cover such incidents. Still, the owner of a medical practice would have to be fairly wealthy to invest in such a system. Thus far, those doctors who have adopted the OnPatient iPad app have received favorable responses from patients and staff members alike.
Will You Be Handed an iPad Soon?
As word about the OnPatient app spreads (and success stories are shared), it is highly likely that many doctor’s offices throughout the world will begin adopting this way of collecting patient information. There’s no doubt that the iPad system eliminates a lot of extra paperwork while also providing a fast and efficient way for patients to list personal details.
If medical communities around the globe can find a way to get past the cost of purchasing iPads (might Apple offer a discount?), the OnPatient app may be coming to a doctor’s office near you.