In my June 9 post I posed the question of whether it’s possible to standardize on a single communications device in healthcare. The same question is coming up about smartphones – is it possible to support just one kind? Once again, the answer is ‘probably not.’
When we began designing Mobile Connect over a year ago, we knew from day one that the problem at hand wasn’t just that physicians and other staff wanted to move away from pagers. There was also the issue of variety. The smartphone revolution has led to a vast array of devices we all carry, healthcare workers included. While IT teams can attempt to standardize on some device types – say a BlackBerry – that doesn’t stop physicians from using an Android or iPhone, especially if they’re not employed directly by your organization.
One thing we’ve heard over and over is that while the BlackBerry right now is the most popular non-pager device in hospitals, it isn’t the only smartphone on the block. The customers we’ve spoken with remind us that while there are other applications out there that give hospitals a pager alternative, most vendors seem to focus on just one or maybe two types of smartphones. Some develop strictly for the BlackBerry. Others are iPhone only. Pretty convenient for the vendors, but not for hospitals.
Amcom offers support for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android smartphones. Looking ahead we’ll be supporting other devices and platforms as well, knowing that if our customers are going to have to deal with the abundance of choices, so will Amcom.
This is another area where we’d like to hear from you. What smartphones do your staff members carry and how are you supporting them?
Leave us some comments below, and please be sure to check out our previous blog entries below!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
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