Motion leader mobile point-of-care computing solutions

“The investment has been worth, and we would certainly choose the Motion C5v MCAs again."
- Project Manager, Nürtingen Hospital

"The C5v MCA has now become indispensable for our doctors, nurses
and aides” - CEO, CESH

VIDEO: Motion Tablets with Intel Processors for Healthcare

"The F5 is shaving at least 30 minutes off the documentation time"
- Occupational Therapist - S. Australia

"We’ve saved not only time, but money and increased patient satisfaction"
- Whole Child Pediatric Clinic

Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom (Whitepaper PDF)
Demonstrating the Business Value of Optimized Workflows Based on Mobile Point-of-Care Technologies. Mobile point of care pilot at Arras Hospital, France (Whitepaper PDF) The business value of ‘connected prescription’ for biological tests at Arras Hospital.

Outside Clinic (UK): Optometrists use Tablet PCs for home eye examinations (Whitepaper PDF) Mobile opticians now provide better patient care and are more productive in the field.

Merck Motion C5 Case Study: Overcoming the Paper-Based Burden (Whitepaper PDF)
Study revealed significant process improvements including an over 90 percent reduction in overall ELN protocol submission times.

Springfield Clinic: Improving Clinician Productivity, Quality and Patient Service (Whitepaper) Among the most successful large scale ambulatory EHR implementations for EHR software and Motion C5 devices.

Island Hospital - The Three M’s: Mobility, MEDITECH and Motion C5 (Whitepaper) The Motion C5 MCA has met their need for a mobile device that integrates with their MEDITECH Magic applications and is easily sanitized and light-weight.

Children’s Hospital in Omaha - Enhancing Pharmacist Rounding with the Motion C5 MCA (Whitepaper) nData recorded during the study indicates substantial improvements to both clinician productivity and overall satisfaction.

UCSF - Clinician Usability Pilot of the Motion C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant (Whitepaper) The Motion C5 Improves Quality of Care and Nursing Workflow at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center.

Lowell General Hospital Optimizing Wireless Communication and Tablet PC Use - Motion Computing Mobility Services team designs state of the art wireless network

Electronic audit Hospital using Tablet-pcs

Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust, Clinical Risk and Audit Manager, Clinical Governance Facilitator , Clinical Governance Facilitator, Clinical Governance Facilitator, Clinical Risk Administrator

Introduction

The Clinical Risk and Audit team at Whipps Cross Hospital in North East London developed an innovative process for enabling local audits using Microsoft Tablet-pc's. At a difficult time, the introduction of initiative, innovation and team spirit resulted in an improved clinical audit process and prompted engagement in clinical audit from both clinical staff and patients. The technology, Microsoft Tablet-pc's (security encrypted) impressed staff and patients, and enabled improved engagement and timely response with local audits. The Trust is pleased with the audit process, a variety of audits are ongoing and nurses are using the technology to carry out audits.

Instigation:
In August 2006 the Trust "Turnaround" agenda resulted in the department being reduced by 50 per cent in line with other cuts that occurred around the Trust and other NHS establishments around the country. The clinical risk and audit staff researched alternative and innovative ways of carrying out audit, as this was still an essential requirement.

The Clinical Risk and Audit department had previously been involved in an initiative to support the maternity Clinical Risk Manager and clinical staff on the maternity ward to meet the CNST standards and carry out the Caesarean-section audit. An IT system dedicated to capturing CNST criteria was placed on the ward, and used to carry out the audit in Microsoft Access. Doctors were given generic passwords, received training, and test data was used to pilot the system. Results were immediately available and Doctors were able to discuss the information and request changes to meet the CNST standards and local improvements. Doctors were notably responsive to audit. Quarterly reports were generated more efficiently and areas to focus on were quickly identified.

Progression:
In August 2007, the Clinical Risk and Audit department carried out a four week pilot on five wards as part of a business case to purchase ten HP Microsoft tablet-pc's (a laptop with rotatable and interactive screen). The Director of Nursing was supportive of the idea and supported the business case for the funding. During the pilot, which formed part of the business case, the nurses received one to one training on how to use the tablets and the electronic audit forms. Written instructions were sent out to the nurses, with contact numbers of clinical risk and audit staff, and the Clinical Governance Facilitators visited the wards to note progression.

The first audit to use the new technology was the Essence of Care Nutrition Standard in April 2008. Following discussions with the Nutrition Action Team (NAT), the questionnaires were designed in Microsoft Access by the Clinical Governance Facilitators, using drop down boxes and yes or no fields. A variety of different data collection audit tools were designed; these included staff, patient, documentation, mealtime observation, speech and language, parenteral, and NG tube. Analysis was carried out in Microsoft Access and Excel. Ten wards participated.

On the day, the audit team comprised the NAT (including nurses, therapists, healthcare assistants and customer services) and nursing staff from the wards. An hour was devoted to training the audit team to use the tablet-pc's and electronic questionnaires before they went on to the wards to carry out the audit. At the end of the audit, the audit team met together for a debriefing session; this included the clinical risk and audit team. As well as the feedback on the audit results, the debriefing session included feedback on how the auditors felt about using the tablet-pc's and some constructive criticism on the design of the electronic questionnaires. The audit team were very positive about using the tablet-pc's, despite some apprehension during the training. There were a few minor problems, but these were quickly sorted out by the Clinical Governance Facilitators who went to the wards to support the staff. The staff carrying out the audit loved using the tablet-pc's and were keen to take part in the next audit!

At the end of the audit, the data was copied from the tablets' hard drives onto the departmental server and saved.

The huge learning curve for staff, combined with the manager's approach of allowing freedom and flexibility for the facilitators to be creative, contributed to the development of a strong team work ethos of working together, being supportive and sharing knowledge.

Nurses were really enthusiastic and welcomed the trust and investment in their being given the opportunity to use the tablets. The patient audit tool created an opportunity for nurses to sit with patients and interact, which both nurses and patients appreciated. They looked and felt more professional and effective. The nurses contributed significantly towards changes on the ward arising from the audit.

Previously, using paper forms, there had been a two month gap from data collection to results to allow for data entry and analysis: with the electronic audit tools and the tablets, the results were available to view the next day.

On the first day back in the office after the Essence of Care nutrition audit everyone was feeling very positive, which is not the usual emotion that audit evokes. Everyone was pleased and wanted to do more audit!
Further development:

The same technology has been used to develop an electronic audit questionnaire for the Nursing Quality Tool. Four questionnaires - documentation, observation, staff and patient - were developed; the audit criteria covered mental health, pain management, food & nutrition, record keeping, self care, respect and dignity, pressure ulcers, continence, communication, infection control and environment. Later, the audit tools were developed in Excel, as it was more easily accessible for nurses who needed to see the results straightaway.

The technology was also used for a Corporate Records and Information Audit in January 2009, and is currently being used for a Bed Rails audit. There are plans to use it for auditing Care Pathways within the Map of Medicine project.

The project involved a steep learning curve for all concerned, but staff feel invested in and have developed new skills. The technology and its use in the team has eliminated some techno-phobia as it is very user friendly. Neighbouring Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has expressed interest in the systems.
Funding was agreed for advanced training in Microsoft Access and Excel for the department. The training has enabled the electronic audit tools to be developed and improved and has enabled more sophisticated databases to be designed.
Summary:

Apart from the cost of the tablets, the Trust has not purchased any commercial software to enable electronic audit to be carried out at Whipps Cross University Hospital Trust. We have used the software that is available to all NHS Trusts i.e. Microsoft Access and Excel. Overall, Clinical Audit is much more of a priority for clinical staff. Results are more readily available, meaning that tangible improvements to patient care can be identified and implemented swiftly.

Tablet PC Checklist for Hospitals and Clinics Check-Up List Heath Care

mobility, mobile, healthcare, hospital, health, health-care, home, home-care, nursing-home, hospice, tablet, motion, clinic, forms, tablet-pc, windows-xp-tablet-pc-edition, windows-vista, e-forms, tabletpc

PC hardware manufacturers, such as Motion Computing, are releasing tablet PCs designed specifically for use by healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, and medical technicians. While vertical tablet PCs are more expensive than generic devices (approximately $2500 versus $1500 average street price), vertical tablet PCs provide the healthcare industry with new capabilities beyond those previously available from the generic models. However, successful deployment of these devices is a balance of soft factors (e.g. user training, user acceptance, and paperwork reduction) and more traditional technology factors.

The Tablet PC “Check-Up” List for Heath Care

While tablet PC hardware continues to evolve to satisfy the unique needs of health care professionals, IT must balance hardware advancements with more traditional requirements to achieve successful tablet PC deployment.

Integrated VIA Tablet PC Solution Demonstrated access patient records and clinical data

Elinc Corporation announced the latest release of their industry leading VIA™ Veterinary Practice Management Software at the American Veterinary Medical Association Conference in Denver.  VIA makes the day-to-day management of a veterinary practice simpler, more efficient, and faster than ever.  The intuitive workflow design becomes an extension of the veterinarian's current processes, providing thorough financial, educational, and clinical information management tools as well as seamless collection of data from diagnostic laboratories and in-house equipment.

     In the new release Elinc further extends the power of VIA’s templated SOAP medical notes through the introduction of their wireless Tablet PC solution.  SOAP notes can be quickly populated from response lists using the Tablet PC digital pen to eliminate keyboard typing.

     With the VIA Tablet PC, veterinarians and hospital staff can access patient records and clinical data, play educational videos on the screen, download information from the internet, and print documents from any location within the hospital.  VIA’s digital pen driven input screens and handwriting recognition combine to make data entry faster than on paper.  The Tablet can be carried from room to room, saving time, effort, and improving the efficiency of a practice.  The mobile Tablet PC allows a practice to reduce operating costs by minimizing the number of computers in their hospital.  At the end of the day the lightweight tablet is easily carried home, where access to the internet allows for the continuation of any unfinished business through a secure connection to your hospital database.

     The technologically advanced solution employs Microsoft SQL Server to provide a solid database foundation.  VIA’s three-tier software architecture overcomes the limitations of simple two-tier designs.  The additional tier centralizes process logic and database queuing to provide enhanced performance, maintainability, and scalability unseen in the veterinary software industry.

Physicians Ohio hospital use Tablet PCsaccess patient data via proprietary portal

"We had been researching tablets and hand-helds for awhile," he says. "The products were finally there so we decided to marry the physician portal and Tablet PC initiatives."

Physicians at an Ohio hospital use Tablet PCs to access patient data via a proprietary portal.

April 1, 2004 - Akron (Ohio) General Medical Center, like many hospitals, has been going through a merger over the past few years. Not a merger of different business entities, though, but a merger of major I.T. initiatives.

In mid-2001, 511-bed Akron General began looking at how it could introduce its clinicians to mobile technology. At the same time, the hospital was planning to deploy a Web portal to enable its physicians to have improved, remote access to patient data. By merging the initiatives, Akron General concluded it could achieve better data access for physicians as well as have a good first clinical application for mobile hardware, says Dave Fiser, director of application systems.

"We had been researching tablets and hand-helds for awhile," he says. "The products were finally there so we decided to marry the physician portal and Tablet PC initiatives."

But instead of rushing to implement the latest technologies, Akron General decided to first get some advice from physicians on how exactly its mobile portal should be developed and offered. The hospital surveyed 125 physicians, asking which systems they'd want access to via the new portal. It also asked if any of the physicians wanted to participate in helping evaluate portal designs.

The physician input helped the organization prioritize which applications it should make available on the portal as well as how they could be used in clinical care. And 25 of the physicians indicated they'd help evaluate a pilot portal.

Because the hospital had so many specific requests from each physician, it decided to develop its own customized mobile clinical portal rather than implement one from a vendor, Fiser explains.

In November 2001, it began using the Oracle9iAS portal development tool from Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Oracle Corp. to create its new Web portal. The vendor helped Akron General install the software on the hospital's local area network. The hospital also worked with AdvizeX Technologies LLC, a Concord, Ohio-based consulting firm, to develop new clinical applications for the portal as well as develop an HL7-based interface engine to ensure physicians could retrieve data from existing and new systems, including transcription, radiology, insurance, demographic and others. "We've designed for the physicians something that is very flexible and geared around how they wanted to use it," Fiser says. "And they can customize the portal applications to how they practice. We can offer the portal to several types of doctors and make everyone happy." Akron General also used the single-sign-on functionality included in the portal development tool to ensure physicians had secure access to all the applications in the portal via a single username and password.

Mobile access

The physician survey also helped the hospital determine what kind of mobile hardware it should offer for access to the new portal. The survey indicated physicians wanted to use the portal to access more complex applications, such as the hospital's electronic medical records and picture archiving and communication systems. As a result, I.T. staff concluded it should enable access to the portal on mobile hardware that featured a large screen, such as a Tablet PC.

By December 2002, the hospital had purchased about 30 TC1000 Tablet PCs from Palo Alto, Calif.-based Hewlett-Packard Co. and began showing members of its physician advisory group how to use them to access the portal.

"PDAs were considered too small to present the information physicians wanted to access via the portal," Fiser says. "The size and functionality of the TC1000 fit physicians well. They are lightweight and can easily fit into a briefcase."

Although the hospital planned to take all physician comments into consideration before unveiling a final version of the portal, the doctors chose to immediately begin using the pilot version of the portal. Inside Akron General, physicians use the Tablet PCs to first log onto the hospital's local area network then enter a separate password to access the Web portal. The Wi-Fi network, from San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco Systems Inc., enables physicians to access the portal anywhere in the hospital.

Akron General also offers remote access to the portal. Physicians can install a virtual private network client on their Tablet PCs to access the portal from homes or offices that already have wireless access. Physicians must authenticate themselves on the VPN using SecureID technology from Bedford, Mass.-based RSA Security Inc.

Akron General unveiled an updated version of the mobile portal in June 2003 to physicians participating in its pilot development evaluation. The pilot group of physicians liked the customizable mobile portal so much, Fiser says, that the hospital plans to unveil it to its other physicians by the end of this year. Though it received a grant to pay for the initial batch of Tablet PCs, it's already purchased 31 of the vendor's newer TC1100 models at about $2,000 each with its own funds and plans to purchase 62 more by the end of the year.

The hospital, however, can't offer the mobile portal to other physicians quick enough. Some physicians are purchasing their own Tablet PCs to be able to use it more quickly, Fiser says. And its initial group of 25 physicians that want to help evaluate the portal has grown, he adds.

"At first there were only a few physicians who would regularly come to our monthly meetings. But now there's a standing room only crowd to help us further develop the mobile portal," he says. "And they all show up with their Tablet PCs."

Motion Computing Tablet PC for Doctors and nurses

Promising to save doctors and nurses from as much as 60 minutes of paperwork per day, Motion Computing Inc. announced a tablet PC for hospital workers.

The C5 is a mobile clinical assistant (MCA) computer based on Intel Corp.'s Centrino wireless notebook platform and Core Solo processor. The three-pound computer runs Microsoft Corp.'s Vista or XP operating system and has built-in 802.11 wireless connectivity. It has five features added specifically for the medical market: it is disinfectable and rugged, and has a barcode scanner, a digital camera and an RFID (radio frequency identification) reader for user log-on.

Together, those functions will allow doctors, nurses and clinicians to do less paperwork, see more patients and make fewer errors, said Scott Eckert, CEO of Motion Computing, in Austin, Texas.

"The basic thing they're looking for is more time spent with patients and less time spent with charts," Eckert said in a webcast Tuesday.

Researchers from Motion Computing and Intel spent 18 months interviewing hospital workers as they tested prototypes of the tablet ranging from a wooden block to an early version code-named "Oak City," said Louis Burns, general manager of Intel's digital health group.

Compared to the clipboard, scanner and cart-mounted computer on wheels often used in hospitals today, the MCA is more compact, portable and lightweight, allowing medical workers to match the barcode on each bottle of drugs to a patient's wrist band, Eckert said.

Motion's other products include the LE1600 and LS800 tablet PCs, used in fields like health care, life sciences, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, education and government. The company plans to launch an improved slate tablet called the LE1700 in late March.

Intel contributed its Centrino mobility platform to the project, as well as market research and technology ties with software providers. Intel sees the health market as a rich vein for future chip demand.

Motion Computing will launch the C5 in 25 countries by May, selling it for US$2,199. The basic unit has three to four hours battery life at full usage, and users can choose to buy designs with better batteries, faster processors or larger hard drives.

more like this:,motion computing, new tablet pc, motion computing tablet, tablet pc for doctors

Would you recommend this story?

Tablet PC Medical application

The use of projecting medical information at the patient's bedside by the use of a Tablet PC, is gaining ground in hospitals.

This is a very convenient, also since one may decide to write on one face as if it were an ordinary A4 size paper sheet.

Further, the integrated Computer analysis possibility with communicative verification and consultation, speeds up decision and the direction of action.

High resolution photographs may be analyzed, compared with other cases to verify expedient course of action.

If you are in the hospital and about to undergo surgery or a medical procedure, your physician can show you 2D and 3D images of your CT and MRI scans right at your bedside.

This helps patients better understand the medical care they are about to receive as well the results and outcome of their tests.

For doctors, it creates an opportunity to provide bedside patient education thereby soliciting their cooperation to undertake difficult medical procedures.

Portable Compaq Tablet PC Aids Hospitals and Healthcare Providers

Barely 90 days old in the marketplace, the innovative Compaq TC 1000 Tablet PC from HP (NYSE:HPQ) is catching the attention of healthcare IT professionals and physicians from Florida to California who are looking to the future of healthcare.

About the size of a standard sheet of paper, less than one-inch thick and weighing in at only three pounds, the Compaq Tablet PC is gaining acceptance because of its portability, versatility and ability to function beyond the traditional range of PC applications.

"Healthcare professionals want technology that saves them time, money, makes their life easier and fits the way they work, not the other way around," said Ken Jarvis, director, healthcare solutions group, HP Enterprise Systems Group. "The TC1000 is the most versatile full-function Tablet PC on the market. It is a technology that is a great fit for the workflow in the healthcare environment."

The TC1000 can function as a portable unit complete with its own retractable keyboard. Or, it can function as a traditional desktop PC by placing it in its docking station and attaching an external keyboard, mouse and monitor. When it was introduced, the unit's versatility quickly caught the attention of the IT staff at Florida Hospital in Orlando.

"Physicians need to move freely through the hospital, quickly and easily retrieving patient records and images from the main system and entering new data into the system as necessary," said Steve Deutchman, director of applications, architecture and integration at the hospital. "The fact that the Compaq Tablet PC is wireless, can function with or without a traditional keyboard and mouse, and can accept, store and recall handwritten documents, gives it tremendous potential in a hospital setting."

Currently, 10 units are being prepared for distribution to physicians who will use them in a pilot project in the hospital. The potential is to have 500 of the hospital's 2,000 affiliated physicians outfitted and using the units in their normal routine in the near future, moving toward 100 percent adoption over time.

The TC1000 has become quite helpful in the patient education efforts, according to Dr. John Gilbert of Fullerton, Calif., even though he says he is still learning the range of capabilities of the unit.

"I often give lectures on diabetes and disease management," said Dr. Gilbert, an endocrinologist and internal medicine specialist. "Using the mouse-pen to prepare the slides for my presentations is relaxing and natural. In fact, I often develop my presentations while sitting in my easy chair at home or lounging in my office."

The potential that Dr. Gilbert sees for the unit has him proposing that his practice group adopt the TC1000 as a part of a centralized digital charting system. He says doing so could increase physician productivity and avoid duplications that ultimately cost patients money. The Tablet PC has great potential to improve communications between healthcare providers and their patients.

"People are visual and respond better to something they can see," said Dr. Gilbert. "With this unit I could quickly and easily bring graphs, charts and medical images into the examination room for the patient to view. That capability can go a long way in getting the desired response from the patient."

Responding to the demand for flexibility and mobility in the medical environment that has been chronicled by the acceptance of the HP iPAQ Pocket PC, developers from several companies are already at work on promising new healthcare applications for the Tablet PC.

The TC1000 unit features a Transmeta Crusoe TM5800 1.0-GHz processor; a 10.4 inch TFT display that permits wide-angle viewing; hardened cover glass; NVIDIA GeForce2 Go 100 high-resolution graphics; built-in 802.11b wireless LAN capabilities; up to a 60 GB SMART hard drive; and USB 2.0 connectivity. The TC1000 supports Microsoft® Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition, a superset of Windows XP Professional.

"HP continues to deliver tremendous innovation in mobility solutions with the TC1000 Tablet PC," said David Lubinski, general manager, healthcare, Microsoft. "This clearly demonstrates the value of the partnership of Microsoft and HP in improving productivity, safety and quality in healthcare."

About HP

HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP completed its acquisition of Compaq Computer Corporation on May 3, 2002. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

clinical assistant tablet PC comes by way of your occupatio

Although we sincerely hope your only encounter with a clinical assistant tablet PC comes by way of your occupation, it looks like Motion Computing is busting out a medically-focused device to help the dear LPNs keep things in order for the high-falutin' doctors. The C5 touts a vertically centered design, top-mounted carry handle, handwriting recognition, built-in digital camera for documenting wounds, time-stamp / voice-tag capabilities, and even an optional RFID reader to easily check patients in by scanning their wrist straps. Claiming to be the world's first device in the new mobile clinical assistant (MCA) category of PCs, it packs a 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo U1400 processor, Windows Vista Business or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, a 10.4-inch XGA touchscreen, up to 1.5GB of DDR2 RAM, 30 / 60GB 1.8-inch hard drive options, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth, and a rechargeable Li-ion to boot.

Furthermore, it weighs in at just 3.1-pounds, so toting this bad boy around the office shouldn't be too much of a burden, and the "durable, semi-sealed enclosure" shouldn't have any issues handling the daily mishaps of your average doctor's lounge. So if you've been looking for a way to digitize your office and get far, far away from those paper-filled drawers, we're sure your IT rep will be hitting you up soon to sneak a peek at this $2,199 tablet.

I volunteered at a hospital emergency room for a month, and I think one of these would be very handy. Currently, documenting a patient is done via a stack of paper forms called a "chart", which takes a lot of time and effort to assemble, disassemble, sort, file, and so on (trust me, I know first hand). Paperwork has inherent weaknesses like poor durability (surgical tape works wonders for sticking torn paper back together) and bad handwriting (stereotype of doctors is true).

With a set of these, I can imagine a completely digital set of patient records in the hospital that's stored on a server, not in a bunch of filing cabinets. The triage nurse (or paramedic, or EMT) can enter in all their symptoms with pictures for evidence, and the file can be called up at any time by any other tablet (working wirelessly with the hospital network). Doctors can easily update patient information at their leisure without having to search for the chart first. Plus, since it's digital, multiple people can access the same data at the same time. When patients are transferred between departments (or even between hospitals), there's no hassle with finding and sending their chart with them, the other department can pull up the record instantly without any hassles (and without sending a poor volunteer sprinting across the hospital to deliver the paperwork). ;)

All in all, this would really be quite a useful piece of equipment for a modern hospital, but only if it can be fully integrated with a wireless patient information database.

Hmm... Since I work for Cerner as a software engineer, I figure i'd chime in on this. Unfortunately, this device will change jack squat until our healthcare providers bring themselves online as Tim said.

Also throwing excel and word on a tablet though won't change anything.

A unified Hospital management system is needed (Packages my company makes, and it works very very well) to push/route orders in realtime from hospital pharmacies, labs, nurses, secretaries, doctors, and surgeons among a billion other patient data and insurance and medical history, drug allergies and reactions, and even existing best practices. Software systems like this exists now has proven itself in real world practice to significantly reduce accidents, mortality rates, ER response time, patient stay length! But a system like this is quite beefy, and I can tell you from the specs of this thing it would probably be less than useful for it's price.

I'm very glad to see a step in a good direction. Hopefully health care providers will continue to see the value in computerizing their operations

Crx1990 Posted Feb 21st 2007 8:55AM

Neutral

I work for a company that sells EMR= Electronic medical records software and we also sell motion tablets with it and this should be great for the software we sell. We are going to order one of these once available and will test it vigorusly as it seems it could be handy. We do not sell to hospitals as the previous poster said their systems are very robust and need a lot to run on but frommy little experience with software in hospitals they could still use this with some of the more common and larger hospital internal software as they have been custom designed to to load on portable devices as tablets and even pda. I know the cleveland clinic down here is south florida has such a system but a lot of docs are computer shy so it has not taken off like they would want it.

mobile clinical assistant UCSF nurses test tablet PCs

Nurses at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center will be among the first health care workers to use a tablet-like PC developed specifically for medical professionals by Intel and Motion Computing

The $2,199 C5 is technically called a "mobile clinical assistant," but it's basically a small tablet PC redesigned for a hospital environment. Intel CEO Paul Otellini and Motion Computing CEO Scott Eckert showed off the device during an event here Tuesday. The C5 was first unveiled during last September's Intel Developer Forum.

"It allows work to be done where work gets done," Otellini said. The C5 looks like a small slate-style tablet PC with a handle at the top. It has been coated with a special material that can withstand the frequent use of disinfectant cleansers and that helps protect the device against falls.

Nurses at UCSF and other hospitals around the country currently measure a patient's vital signs with one medical device. But they have to manually transfer the data to one of several rolling notebook PCs--referred to as COWs, or computers on wheels--so it can be captured in a patient's medical history file and made available to other doctors.

This low-tech approach can lead to transcription errors by fatigued nurses and potentially serious medical problems for patients, said Ann Williamson, nursing director at UCSF. The C5 is directly connected to the other medical equipment used to take a patient's pulse or measure their blood pressure, so data is instantly recorded by the C5 directly off the medical device and transferred to a hospital server.

This also allows nurses to spend more time with patients, because they don't have to leave the patient to find the nearest COW or deal with having to log in to the shared COW every time, Williamson said.

Intel and Motion Computing announced the launch of the Motion C5, which will be used to improve the efficiency of measuring and inputting patient data.

In a world of profit-driven hospitals, $2,199 might seem like a lot to spend on a tablet PC, especially when UCSF would like to make sure every nurse working a shift has one at his or her disposal. Currently, a floor staff of about 10 nurses shares four or five COWs, Williamson said.

But the COW is pretty expensive itself, said Michael Blum, chief medical information officer for UCSF. The current setup consists of a bulky wheeled cart carrying a standard notebook PC encased in a spill-proof chassis. And the notebook uses a special $1,000 battery that tends to last only 18 months or so, he said.

Intel and Motion are hoping the C5 helps drag the health care industry into the 21st century of information technology. Health care is the world's largest industry, but it is woefully behind in its use of IT for tasks like record keeping, Otellini said. Intel created its Digital Health Group about two years ago to learn more about how the technology industry can serve--and take advantage of--the looming surge in demand for health care services as Baby Boomers age.

Tablet PCs haven't taken over the PC industry the way some might have hoped, but they are extremely popular with health care workers, Motion's Eckert said. The devices "enable doctors and nurses to deliver the best care they can," he said.

tablet PCs are already making their way into hospitals and clinics

Recently, Apple unveiled it’s tablet PC, the iPad. There was, as expected, a great deal of hype surrounding the iPad as Apple enthusiasts and haters alike considered possible applications for the iPad. One of the places where the iPad could really gain traction, though, is in the healthcare industry. The iPhone is already sometimes used by healthcare professionals to aid in their jobs, and tablet PCs are already making their way into hospitals and clinics. When the iPad is ready for shipping, it’s quite likely that it will find a place in healthcare. Here are 25 ways tablet PCs are used in healthcare right now:

Wound care management: Tablet PCs outfitted with cameras can help accurately measure wounds and capture a record of the progress of wound healing, helping doctors get a better picture of whether treatments are having the desired effect.
Monitor vitals: There are now mobile vital signs monitors, but they aren’t exactly PCs. However, there are some PCs that can be used to monitor vital signs, making it possible to coordinate vitals with health records.

Patient tracking: It is possible to keep better track of patients with tablet PCs. Doctors and nurses that use them get automatic updates when patients are moved, or when they have new needs. This can be done through RFID readers that scan barcodes at patient beds.

Accurate prescriptions: Instead of trying to decipher doctor scrawl, it is possible for doctors to electronically use tablet PCs to select prescriptions and more accurately and legibly prepare scripts.

Faster prescription fulfillment: Wireless capabilities on tablet PCs can streamline the entire prescription process by sending orders quickly. This can be to outside pharmacies, or to the in-hospital pharmacy.

Medication management: Not only are tablet PCs used to keep track of which medications a patient is taking, and to write prescriptions that are easy to read, but better medication management is seen with tablet PCs. How much has been taken, and in what doses, can be managed on the go.

Drug interactions: It is easy to get instant access to drug interactions, as well as record the type of reaction a patient is having to a prescription.

Diagnosis help: Sometimes a doctor or surgeon needs to consult notes and references when making a diagnosis. With a tablet PC, it is quick and easy to access information that can help with a timely and accurate diagnosis.

Treatment plans: It is possible to use a tablet PC to quickly create a treatment plan, and then track progress of the intended regimen.

Medical alerts: With a tablet PC, it is possible to receive medical alerts quickly. Different alarms can be used in the hospital rooms, and send signals to the PC, alerting doctors or nurses to a problem — and what it is.

Immediate entry of medical data: In many cases, greater error can be introduced into the health records system when charts are written, and then copied, and then entered into the computer later. With mobile computing, tablet PCs make it possible for immediate entry, reducing errors in some cases.

Health information in real time: Tablet PCs are used for looking up real time health information that can be of use.

Lab results: Instead of waiting for lab results, they can be sent instantly to a doctor or nurse with a tablet PC, providing instant access to results.

Imaging: In addition to receiving lab results, it is also possible to receive imaging. Doctors, nurses and specialists can have x-rays and other images sent to the tablet PC, and they can easily be referred to when speaking with patients.

Access to medical case studies: Tablet PCs, especially those that can get online, can provide helpful access to medical case studies that can help doctors and nurses better treat patients.
Patient access to data: Tablet PCs can make it easy for patients to get access to their own data. Since it is entered in at that point, there are no waits for records to be updated. And doctors can pull up data quickly for patient perusal.

Rich media to prepare patients: It is possible to use rich media functions in tablet PCs to prepare patients for procedures, and let them see what is going to happen, and show them what they need to do to prepare. It leads to a more prepared patient.
Shift changes: Instead of having to go to a specific station for shift changes, it is possible to simply pass a tablet PC off, signing out and then having the new recipient sign in. This streamlines the process, and helps shift changes move more smoothly.

Transmission of patient data: New shifts find it easier to keep up with what has been happening with patients, since the information is right there in their hands. No need to constant flip through pages on charts when you have the patient data easy to see in your hands.

Sharing records with others: Frequently, physicians need to share data with colleagues, especially if there is a team treating one person. Tablet PCs make it easy to send data between doctors and nurses, as well as take and send images so that those off site can have a look at the situation.
Billing: Healthcare billing is streamlined with help from tablet PCs. This allows you to capture billing costs immediately, and can reduce some errors.

Electronic auditing: It is also possible to use tablet PCs when auditing financial transactions, or other transactions. It is a mobile way to record information and compare it.

Inventory control: Hospitals can use tablet PCs equipped with RFID to keep tabs on inventory. From utensils to drugs to scrubs and gloves, it is possible to keep better track of certain items of inventory.

Speech capture: Many tablet PCs have microphones and recording capabilities. This makes it easier for doctors to record their diagnoses, without another device, and the information can be transcribed later.

Family interaction with patients: Sometimes, family members can’t come directly to the hospital for some reason or another. In such cases, it can be useful for tablet PCs to provide a way for patients to interact with their family and friends. Hospital visits this way can help cheer up patients.

new tablet PC made specifically for healthcare professionals

Motion Computing and Intel have joined forces to to create a new tablet PC made specifically for healthcare professionals. The C5 mobile clinical assistant addresses the needs of medical facilities on the levels of software, hardware and physical design. The battery lasts for three hours, however, which may require hospitals to buy more cells than tablets.

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) and Motion Computing have teamed up to develop and deliver a new tablet PC for the healthcare industry the C5 mobile clinical assistant (MCA).

Based on Intel's new MCA platform, Motion's C5 device is currently in trial use in hospitals and is already gaining enthusiastic interest from the healthcare community.

"To me, this is the first device that has been specifically designed for healthcare," Dr. Michael Westcott, chief medical information officer for the Nebraska- and Iowa-based Alegent Health hospital system, told TechNewsWorld. "Before, we have just taken a computer and adapted it to healthcare. But with this one, they talked to tons of clinicians to figure out what we needed. It might seem mundane, but one of the things the nurses said was, 'We need a handle.' And you'll notice there's a handle built in."

Medical Features

Handles seem intuitive enough, but if you look at Motion Computing's previous tablet PCs, none come close to offering a similar form factor. Additional features set the C5 further apart from standard tablet PCs.

For instance, the C5 contains built-in bar code and RFID (radio frequency identification) readers that let hospitals track and verify patient identification, specimen and medications, as well as Bluetooth connectivity that enable it to connect directly to other medical devices. It has a built-in camera, which can be used to document patient wounds or progress, and a fingerprint reader that lets nurses securely and quickly log in and out of the unit. If a hospital uses RFID tags, they could also use RFID as another method for rapid user log-on.

The C5 also features handwriting and speech recognition, as well as an optional docking station for battery recharging and keyboard/mouse hookups.
Rigorous Hospital Environments

It's unlikely that a doctor in a hospital would drop a tablet into a puddle of mud, but the healthcare field has its own set of rigorous requirements, not the least of which is disinfecting equipment.

Hospital-acquired infections affect more than 2 million American patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resulting annually in 90,000 deaths, which is why the company created a new casing system.

"The C5 has an almost portless design that's semi-sealed so there are fewer nooks and crannies, which helps with the disinfection process," Tony Bonadero, vice president of product marketing for Motion Computing, told TechNewsWorld. "It also has a chemical-resistant resin built-in to withstand the frequent cleaning that needs to happen in a hospital environment."

Most hospitals currently use laptops or PCs on rolling carts called Computers on Wheels, or COWs, but they lack easy and quick portability for nurses, who are often moving quickly between patients.

Plus, Dr. Westcott told TechNewsWorld, "It's hard to disinfect a cart."
New Processes

Nurses frequently work long 12-hour shifts, which makes battery life a critical issue.

The C5 batteries, which can be hot-swapped, have a three-hour runtime.

To deal with that problem, Alegent plans to have three docking stations for every C5 unit, which will let healthcare personnel dock it for quick recharges throughout a shift.

Perhaps far more important than the technology built into the C5 is the way the unit promises to change the patient care process.

Alegent, Dr. Westcott explained, uses bar code technology with the C5 that lets a nurse scan a patient armband, a nurse badge and each dose of medication. "And all of those have to match up before you get a green checkmark on the C5 screen," he said. "We've almost eliminated all medication errors with that."

Case Study Tablet PC for Health Applications Ingolstadt Hospital

Securing the authenticity and integrity of its electronic documents using handwritten signatures captured on a Tablet PC
The recent reform in the health sector requires German hospitals to reduce the time that patients stay in the hospital to a minimum as hospitals receive a case-based lump sum (until December 2003 hospitals received payments according to the patient's length of stay). Thus, it is no longer economical for the hospitals to keep the patient longer than necessary, e.g. no more weekend occupations where patients wait for treatment or dismissal on the following Monday.

Ingolstadt Hospital replaces its paper-based forms with a solution based on Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 and deployed on Tablet PCs. This reduces the amount of time spent for tasks that are not billable under the new law. Ingolstadt Hospital averages 25,000 emergency patient admissions each year, with up to 20 people concurrently receiving care in the emergency ward. The so-called DENA project was realized in a partnership with the medical sector of Siemens ICN. An extensive case study on this project was already published by Microsoft in 2003 (>> view Microsoft's case study).

Patient's data is captured on a Tablet PC in the emergency ward at admission thus avoiding media break costs and delays. Most of the existing paper based forms of the hospital are already standardized at all stations and institutions and will be replaced during 2004 with electronic documents using Microsoft InfoPath 2003. Data is exchanged via XML to existing sub systems in the hospital. Clearly structured information is accessible whenever and wherever required so that there is more time for diagnosis and treatment. Medical personnel will enjoy an extensive reduction in administrative tasks and a sustainable increase in productivity.

Starting from CeBIT 2004 the DENA application includes the option to capture and verify handwritten signatures (including their biometric characteristics) with a Tablet PC. Handwritten signatures are now providing integrity and proof of authenticity for documents in patient files. Signature capturing and verification is integrated using SignDoc® from the world's vendor for verification of signatures - SOFTPRO.

The immediate digitizing of signatures throughout the writing process using a Tablet PC offers security on a higher level compared to signatures captured on paper. Throughout the capturing process more information of a signature is extracted than meets the eye. These additional characteristics are completing the data set of the static signature image with biometric characteristics of a signature such as writing pressure and writing speed.

Every signature is unique. The unique combination of verification of static and dynamic signature characteristics deals with the natural variations of a signer's signatures.

Thanks to Tablet PCs and the integration of SignDoc, Ingolstadt Hospital is no longer required to print forms for signing purposes. "This closes the last gap in a fully electronic process." Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Kleemann, CIO of Ingolstadt Hospital, sums up: "We clearly prefer the handwritten signature to ensure the authenticity and integrity of documents. Signing a document is a process doctors, hospital staff and patients are familiar with and which does not have to be explained".

According to the experience of Mr. Kleemann there exists a lack of acceptance for solutions that use either chip cards, passwords or physical biometric characteristics (such as the finger print) for authentication. In the sensitive environment of documentation in a hospital the handwritten signature is by far the most appropriate method of authentication.

ReadyDock LE stands alone in today's marketplace

STORE SECURE CHARGE Your motion TM LE Tablet PCs in a Professional Piece of Furniture

ReadyDock LE stands alone in today's marketplace ReadyDock was introduced to the marketplace last year and quickly captured the interest of major health care clinics throughout the United States. this popular storage and charging unit is now available for the Motion Computing LE Series Tablets. This attractive piece of furniture not only provides necessary storage and charging but also adds to the aesthetics of your office. They are available in a variety of configurations suitable for 5, 10, 15, or 20 tablets

Good news for owners of the original ReadyDock. The new modules are the same size and can be integrated with your current unit. Each case is constructed of quality maple hardwood and wood grain laminate.

Benefits:
   
    Centralized tablet Storage
    Centralized Tablet Management
    Securely locked cases
    Aesthetically pleasing furniture
    Eliminates messy power supply set up

Chemical-Free disinfection for the Motion C5 Tablet in 105 seconds Flat

The ReadyDock F5E is the most efficient way to house, charge and secure your valuable F5 Tablet PCs. The cabinet is lightweight and can be configured to store/charge 5, 10 or 20 tablet PCs. This allows you to configure your ReadyDock for optimal space management.

Now available with Ethernet, the ReadyDock enables IT to connect, control and manage the tablet PCs while they are stored throughout the day or overnight. Tablets automatically connect when stored, enabling direct 10/100 Mbps remote connectivity for efficient management.
   
NEW! ReadyDock:UV - Chemical-Free disinfection for the Motion C5 Tablet in 105 seconds Flat! The world's first and only product offering automated general purpose disinfection for TabletPCs. Disinfect without the mess. Call us for more information: 800-969-1166.

ReadyDock products are used around the globe to support workflow and the overall management of tablet PC applications in hospitals, field service, and other applications that require charging, storage, and security of tablet PCs.

ReadyDock is available for Motion LE, C5, F5, and J-Series TabletPCs.

ReadyDock SA is available for TabletKiosk's Sahara Slate PC product line.

Security, Storage, Charging...it's all part of the solution.

RAM Seat-Mate Mount for C5 / F5-Series Tablet PCs

The RAM Seat-Mate transforms most any passenger seat into a workstation. The compact, portable and innovative design requires no tools to set up – simply unpack the mount from the compact bag, unfold the legs and buckle it in. The RAM Seat-Mate actively holds onto the seat and stabilizes itself. Ideal for use with Motion C5 and F5 tablets, the integrated rubber ball and socket system enables the user to achieve ergonomic viewing and typing angles. Designed to easily pack into a travel bag, suit case, or even under the seat of a vehicle, the RAM Seat-Mate makes it possible to create a workspace in minutes wherever your job takes you.

Key Features:

• Transfers most any passenger seat into a workspace
• Create a workspace in minutes wherever your job takes you
• Compact and portable, the RAM Seat-Mate requires no tools to set up and is easily packed and stored
• The RAM Seat-Mate actively holds onto the seat and stabilizes itself
• Integrated rubber ball and socket system enable ergonomic viewing and typing angles

Tablet PC Freeware

Tablet PC’s are getting standard due to the convenience that they supply to users. Creating designs and patterns becomes simpler if a pill PC is used, as a result of the PC is fitted with a pen as an alternative of a mouse. Subsequently, most firms promoting pill PC’s often present customers with software program that function in depth drawing and designing features. As part of their promotional strategies, many firms offer various sorts of freeware to consumers of pill PC’s. Some manufacturers of pill PC’s offer programs and options free of value to the winners of contests on the Internet. A number of the merchandise that are provided free of value together with the acquisition of a pill PC are art and designing software. These are relatively easy to use and include the most recent options that aren’t accessible in the market for sale. Artrage and strokeit are two of the well-known software program accessible on the Internet that allows customers to augment their creativity. The pen in a pill PC allows a consumer to create difficult designs that are nearly impossible to create with a mouse. There are other games and shareware accessible on the Internet completely free of cost. Some firms offer shareware free of value for a restricted length and the consumer must pay for the software program after a stipulated time. Some firms offer language recognition software program as a freeware or shareware. This software program program helps customers to recognize and decipher overseas languages with none effort. The size of the software program often ranges between three mb to 7 mb and the value vary is $24 to$50 after the trial interval has expired. Different freeware embody software program such because the "smartgesture" that’s designed to accomplish different commands similar to opening of files, applications, web resources, and key pressing imitation

Black F5 Dock full-featured desktop docking station

The Black F5 Dock is a full-featured, desktop docking station. The F5 Dock features external ports to support an external VGA display, RJ45 connectivity and additional USB accessories such as a full-sized keyboard, mouse and printer. The Docking Station includes a charging bay to charge an additional battery which can be hot swapped while the unit is docked. The Dock also has a universal lock slot for added security. AC power Pak included.

Price : $388.99

Key Features:

Click to see C5 / F5-Series Docking Station Features.

    Simple, smooth design for ease of cleaning
    Small footprint accommodates small spaces
    Integrated battery charging bay
    Three viewing angles
    15º - charging
    25º - keyboard use
    38º - mounting
    USB (3), Ethernet & VGA ports
    Locking latch holds tablet securely
    75mm VESA hole pattern supports mounting
    LEDs provide charging status

Color:
White or Black

Dimensions:
13.58” x 4.53” x 4.41”
345mm (w) x 115mm (h) x 112mm (d)

Weight:
2331 grams (5.14 lbs) (dock only)

Warranty:

1 Year

Docking Station transforms C5 into full-featured desktop computing & charging solution

The Docking Station transforms the C5 or the F5 into a full-featured desktop computing & charging solution. Three viewing angles are provided to support charging, keyboarding, and pen orientations. External ports support an external VGA display, RJ45 network connectivity, and all your favorite USB accessories such as a full-size keyboard, mouse, and printer. The Docking Station also includes a charging bay to charge an additional battery which can be hot-swapped when the unit is docked. Support for a universal lock slot is also provided for added security. AC Power Pak included.

Color: White

Key Features:

    Simple, smooth design for ease of cleaning
    Small footprint accommodates small spaces
    Integrated battery charging bay
    Three viewing angles
    15º - charging
    25º - keyboard use
    38º - mounting
    USB (3), Ethernet & VGA ports
    Locking latch holds tablet securely
    75mm VESA hole pattern supports mounting
    LEDs provide charging status

Color:
White or Black

Dimensions:

13.58” x 4.53” x 4.41”
345mm (w) x 115mm (h) x 112mm (d)

Weight:
2331 grams (5.14 lbs) (dock only)

Warranty:

1 Year

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition Is Striking a Chord With Physicians and Health Professionals

Months after its official launch, Microsoft® Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition continues to receive positive support within the healthcare industry, Microsoft Corp. today announced at the 2003 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference and exhibition in San Diego at the San Diego Convention Center. Across the healthcare industry, medical professionals, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and healthcare software vendors are deploying the Tablet PC for its innovative benefits of unlimited mobility and versatility.

Tablet PCs combine the full power of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system with the capability to use to a digital pen in addition to a keyboard or mouse. Approximately the size of a medical chart, the Tablet PC can be carried like a clipboard and offers medical providers the capability of a powerful mobile PC that enables wireless real-time data input while interacting directly with a patient.

"The Tablet PC is being readily adopted in the healthcare industry because of the enhanced flexibility it offers," said David Lubinski, general manager of the Healthcare Industry Solutions Group at Microsoft. "Through its innovative digital ink and pen-based input, providers can make notes on medical charts in their own handwriting or annotate digital images. The Tablet PC will be a valuable tool in the fast-paced practice of medicine by helping medical providers automate many paper-based processes and streamline the practice of medicine."

Abington Memorial Hospital, a not-for-profit, 508-bed community teaching hospital in Pennsylvania that has implemented Eclipsys Corporations SunriseXA advanced clinical software, will be one of the first Eclipsys customers to use the TabletXA mobile clinical solution. TabletXA will provide highly mobile clinicians with access to the powerful knowledge and information of SunriseXA to further improve productivity and patient safety.

"We are excited about the opportunities TabletXA will offer our hospital by allowing us to provide a cost-effective, mobile solution for our physicians, nurses and other clinicians to care for patients," said Alison Ferren, CIO of Abington. "Our migration to TabletXA began as part of our patient safety initiative."

SunriseXA is delivered as Web services-based components built on the Microsoft .NET Framework around a comprehensive workflow framework, so patient information goes to one place -- streamlining workflow for all medical providers and clinicians. Ferren noted that Abingtons implementation of Eclipsys SunriseXA effectively builds on the universal computerized physician order entry (CPOE) actively used at the hospital.

A PC That Medical Providers Can Use in More Ways and More Places

In addition to Eclipsys, Microsoft vendors and Tablet PC "early adopters," Allscripts Healthcare Solutions (AHS) and Stentor Inc. joined Microsoft in developing applications that run on the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system.

AHS, a provider of modular EMR electronic medical records (EMR) software and clinical solutions for physicians, demonstrated TouchWorks for the Tablet PC at Microsofts worldwide launch of Tablet PC last year, and several customers have already started implementing the new technology in their practices. Womens Care of Mansfield, for example, has recently deployed Tablet PCs for eight of their its physicians and their initial results are very positive as the practice moves aggressively toward a completely paperless patient record. A number of other AHS customers plan to roll out Tablet PCs in the near future.

Stentor, a San Francisco-based medical informatics company, has developed a version of its medical information and image management system for Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. The enterprise distribution system, iSite Enterprise, enables the immediate delivery of diagnostic-quality images to the desktop computer of every physician in a healthcare network. With the availability of iSite Enterprise for the Tablet PC, physicians will have instant access to digital images and patient information throughout the hospital, saving time and improving patient care.

Other physician practice management software vendors have physicians currently using the Tablet PC in their practices. Amicore Inc., a physician practice improvement company, has initiated a beta project. By end of 2003, Amicore plans to have more than 1,000 doctors using its Tablet PC-based solutions.

Dr. Robert Oliverio, an internist using Amicores solution on a Tablet PC, said, "The Tablet PC is like your entire desk, but you can take it with you while you practice medicine. Doctors have access to lab work, medical record reports and all the things they need for patient care in one place. The average paper chart weighs more than the Tablet PC, and you have instant information at your fingertips without having to thumb through pages in a patient chart."

Greenway Medical Technologies Inc., a provider of integrated practice management and electronic medical records (EMR) software solutions for physicians practices, has deployed Tablet PCs in two physician practices, and will migrate the Tablet PC to 12 additional practices within months. Greenway is aggressively deploying the Tablet PC after conducting focus groups that found physician adoption rates increased when Greenways PrimeChart EMR system was implemented on the

Tablet PC platform. Physicians cited ease of use, increased screen space, enhanced clarity of screens, improved stylus response to "tapping," operating system speed and accuracy of the embedded InkEdit handwriting recognition as factors influencing their preference.

Gentiva Health Services Inc., a leading provider of home healthcare services in North America, is currently piloting the Windows XP Tablet PC in a three-phase pilot program. Gentiva believes that the Tablet PCs powered by Microsoft Windows XP will not only be a replacement for laptops in the business ranks of the corporation, but also may be the long-sought answer to field workers paperwork blues.

"The Tablet PC technology has the potential to make a dramatic difference to our nurses," said Bob Creamer, chief information officer and senior vice president for Financial Operations at Gentiva. "This type of technology could give our company a competitive edge for recruiting and retaining nursing staff, which is crucial to delivering good service to our patients."

Prominent Pharmaceutical Companies Deploy the Tablet PC

Aventis, a global pharmaceutical company employing nearly 70,000 people with a network that spans 127 countries, found potentially significant benefits when it evaluated the Tablet PC running Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition as a new productivity tool for the lab and the field.

"In our global environment, Aventis knowledge workers are often managing diverse activities in different parts of the world," said Peter Loupos, vice president of Aventis Information Solutions at Aventis. "We are in the knowledge-creation business, and it is the speed and quality with which we generate and deliver knowledge that will provide a competitive edge. Tablet PCs and their wireless capabilities have the potential to make this knowledge available to the worker wherever he or she is."

Merck, a global leader in pharmaceutical research and manufacturing, recently deployed Tablet PCs running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition in order to meet the challenge of rapidly collecting information for clinical trials that helps discover critical information about the use and value of the companys products. Employees benefit from the versatility, flexibility and mobility Tablet PCs offers, clinicians receive improved contact and the company anticipates a return on its investment within the first year from higher levels of efficiency.

More information about Windows XP Tablet PC Edition can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/ .

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" ) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information on Microsoft Healthcare:

http://www.microsoft.com/healthcare/

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft's corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp .

Toshiba Rx tablet PC is an ultimate solution for nurses and medical professionals

Toshiba Rx tablet PC is an ultimate solution for nurses and medical professionals to perform daily documentation and reference works. It offers quick wireless access to medical and drug reference, patient records and allows instant connectivity with the main database of the hospital. This tablet PC has been designed to save time and boost accuracy by eliminating paper records and has the potential to become a complete hospital solution to save countless deaths each year caused by various medical errors.

The portability and use of state of art medical software of the tablet will replace the nurse’s clipboard and increase her functionality. It features a touchscreen interface where the user can interact with various applications and also can be docked on the table for more familiar use. Throughout the hospital there will be several docking base where the nurse can dock the Toshiba Rx to recharge the battery and input data easily through a washable and removable rubber made keyboard. However, in front of the keyboard there is a touchpad located on the raised portion, it also includes mouse option for more convenient use. The entire design is easy for cleaning and disinfecting, which is of vital importance in hospitals.

Get a handle on patient care with the Motion C5v Tablet PC

Deliver mobility and reliability at the point-of-care with the Motion® C5v Tablet PC. The industry’s first Mobile Clinical Assistant (MCA), the C5v Tablet PC was designed specifically for healthcare environments in partnership with Intel® Health and based on input from thousands of clinicians worldwide. Lightweight, rugged and fully-sealed to ensure compliance with infection control protocols, the C5v is built for demanding healthcare environments. Get a handle on patient care with the Motion C5v Tablet PC. It’s highly portable. It’s lightweight. And, it’s ready to work for you.

Rugged, Powerful and Highly Mobile

From the hospital to home care, the C5v’s rugged design can handle the toughest conditions. With Gorilla® Glass for superior display protection, Motion’s View Anywhere® technology and an industry-leading display, users get the best tablet PC viewing experience available. And now with up to the Intel® Core™ i7 vPro™ processor, the C5v offers uncompromising levels of power, security and manageability. Extended battery life, a hot swap battery feature, superior performance and advanced remote management capabilities ensure that both clinicians and IT personnel can feel confident that the C5v is available and patient data secure – freeing up valuable time and resources to focus on patient care.

iPad application on the iPhone in iOS 5

Apple this morning unveiled the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 5, particularly focussing on an overhauled notifications system, an 'iMessage' service, wireless syncing, a 'Newsstand' app, and Twitter integration. However, one of the 200 new iOS 5 features overlooked by many media outlets is custom notification tones for SMS, e-mail and voicemail sounds. Hurrah!

Long suffering iPhone users will finally get to create their own custom notification tones, in a similar manner to creating custom ring tones. In addition to SMS, e-mail and voicemail sounds, custom tones can also be created and assigned to calendar alerts.

Apple will also introduce custom vibration patterns in iOS 5. Though we are yet to see this in action, we presume you should be able to set different vibration patterns for different notifications. Currently, iPhone users can only select a default Apple tone and vibration alert for these notifications.

Among the other 200 new features in iOS 5 you will find a split keyboard for the iPad (allowing users to type with two hands), the use of multitouch gestures to flick between running applications, hourly weather forecasts, typing shortcuts, and personal dictionary support.

Curiously, the iPad application on the iPhone is now split into two apps — music and video, so the iPad app is no longer used.

Are you happy with the upgrades in iOS 5? Let us know in the comments below!

Samsung Galaxy S II vs Apple iPhone 4 Comment

bias article...iphone wins in everything samsung made its best job with galaxy s 2 but it should be launch in march...Apple would love to have the new AMOLED screen on their iPhone5. Actually, they probably will given Apple signed a contract with Samsung to buy the displays and memories from them. Many thanks for the informative article. I feel safe to buy a Samsung phone now. Hope Telstra gets the latest model.

Sad Optus spent 2billion bucks up grading. I live in possibly the richest region in Australia..Mackay Ie coal mining/sugar/tourism and live 22kms from the city of Mackay. Yet Optus tell me no 3G at my place.

Again thanks for the clever article....you know in a democracy freedom is important...Apple made in the USSR Samsung Galaxy S II beats the Iphone 4 in every possible way there is to beat. Hats off samsung, the reign of apple iphone is about to be over. Because galaxy s II has better ram (2x), better battery life, better camera and video, much better display in practical and definitely lower price alaxy dobles up iphone in everyway excvept for the price. So galaxy is the looser (!) to become a half price. what a sad point for iphone users...

It's hard to compare these phones because the Samsung Galaxy S II hasn't even come out yet, but the iPhone 4 has been out for a year. It might be worth re-comparing them when the iPhone 5 comes out.

I'm going to buy the G S2, because I love Android over iOS, and I think it's the best of the droids at the moment. However doing a compare against an old model iPhone isn't really credible unless you're going to make a purchase decision in between the 1 or 2 months that the iPhone 5 is unavailable. I'm sure iP5 will be just as competitive as the G S2 in many areas.

On top of that:

Samsung looks like to be saving money on the design, because they seem to have copied almost everything from the iPhone - starting with the case of the phone itself, aswell as their software-

Could be the reason why its much cheaper :-)

Well on paper he samsung might cut it, but in real life it is still a big question.

The iphone might have a slower CPU, but the OS is specificly designed to work with that hardware so perhaps the iphone needs less hardware to be faster allround. (also counts for its apps) Also android is still not as refined as iOS and perhaps never will be due to its open source (wich can also be a big pré) and the fact that there are a gazillion phones wich must be able to run it.

Also, the iphone display delivers more pixels per inch thant the samsung, so it might still be a crispier screen.

Then, the 8 MP cam doesn't say much about the image quality. As whe all know its the image sensor behind it that counts (try comparing an 12 mp digital compact cam to a 10 MP DSLR - because of the DSLR's bigger sensor it still beats the compact by miles - this is also the case with the iphone and especially gives away when the surrounding lights get a bit darker - the result on a small image sensor is a noise canon - just like nokia's N8 - In other words, more MP's does not mean better photo quality, only bigger images)

I hope its better than that horrid galaxy 1 because that realy is a slouch

@Rob

LoL mate, you are funny.

Have read your reviews and can only say you are an Apple Cult member. For sure!
e.g.
How can you say Android and iOS is a draw? Open is beter than closed. Android has more specs (features/functions) than iOS. Wnat me to go on?
How can you say the iPhone 4 Display technology and SGS II is a Unknow? Comeone, everyone knows that SAMOLEAD+ is much superior to LCD - even Apple knows it and has been begging Sammy for this (hint, what do you think the real reason behind the Apple sueing Sammy is? - its to get access to Sammies superior technologies!)
HDMI-out : SGS2 can do this (cable is optional), iCrap can not.
Application store: WHy you say Apple is better. is it just because there are more apps available? Lol, then you should just say iPhone is the best phone in teh world because it the most expensive! Lol! (and guess what is the most expensive phone in the world???)
Processor: SGS 2 is 1.2 GHz, not 1. Please update.
3G networks: This is a Draw. SGS2 supprots the same as iCrap4.
Multitouch: SGS 2 is better. This is due to two factors, 1) the SGS2 processor, 2) the SGS2 SAMOLED+ is thinner and less air gaps.

Battery: Better on SGS2 because of 1) more capacity, 2) removeable and replaceable.

Rob, when you compre on specs, pleasse at least have the correct updated specs. And if you do not know which spec is better then read a bit to find out. Many people see reviews like this and go by it without realising that the author himself do not know - blind leading the blind!

To put this simple:
SGS > iPhone 4
SGS 2 >> iPhone 4
SGS 2 will be >> iPhone 5
SGS 3 will be >>> iPhone 5.

Apple days are over. Sell your shares. Hoistory repeating itself for Apple again (hint...Win PC vs Apple PC).

Game over.... <<<BANG>>>

@Dennis

Mate, iCap is yesterday. No matter what you say, the fact still remains: SGS II >> iCrap4.

Why you say Samsung is saving money on the design? Is that your justification why iCrap is more expensive? Could not be that iStveGod is ripping you off?

So hat did Sammie copy? They make the key components for the iCrap dude. If anything, ipple copied from Sammie!. Lets see the outcome of the cout case and put you at rest for once and all - and btw SGS II is not in teh mix for the court case - : ) lol

Software copy: yep lets see how many features iCrap5 takes from Android in the next iOS release....

If you really belive that iCrap 4 (or 5) is faster than SGS II then you are just plain blind. Did you know that Apple does not do any manufacturing at all! I rather buy from a company that actually manufacturs the phone than one that use sub-contractors whos employees have a massive suicide stat!

iCrap does have more PPI. But SGS II is bigger display, superior display tech, beter on battery, better for outdoor reading, more vibrant colours, better viewing angles, less airgaps, etc, etc. Lets put these two phones next to each other and then you can comment on which display you prefer.... (in your case as an icult member you probably will always pick i crap even if it has no display!)

8 MP cam : Why dont you post more informed opinions by actually posting real examples and real technical facts. You are just stabbing in the dark for things that you do not understand.

SGS is a great phone, and better than iCrap4. Saying it is a slouch shows your uninformed, uneducated guess. It craps all over iCrap - lol.

Dennis, Apple days are over. They have stolen enough now from other real mobile phone manufactures/designers. It was just a question of time before people realise this and that iCrap was never a contender any. All the stats are out there. Time for you to admit it and buy a real smart phone! -- Unless Apple Marketing pays you for spreading lies!

You are comparing a next year phone with last years phone. Not really a fair article? You should rewrite comparing it to the Galaxy S not S2

Iphone 5 will no doubt be out Sept. Lets do this again. But you will probably do Galaxy S3 versus iphone 5 in which case it will be better because they waited for Apple to release.

Samsung - copier

Apple - Innovator.

Why so many Apple haters? Before they came along what did you all cradle in your hands? Bricks like Nokia 6210 or worse you considered N600 to be the pinacle of phone design.

Funny how people DONT support the ones who brought in a fresh way of thinking about phones. But go for the knockoffs who only follow and copy. Nobody wants to pay for "ideas", they just want to pay for cheaper parts. Pathetic.

Dear Alfonzo,
the reason people are anti-iphone (and i am one of them) is because of the closed operating system and Apple's total rejection of culpability of design faults (antenna, operating system, etc).

Putting aside design faults, because each smartphone will have something, the key reason i am against the iphone is because they are closing things more and more in the back end.

What exactly would happen if they had open source for the operating system? It's supposedly hardware specific and would give the people who buy the product the freedom to do what they want with the product they purchased - legal or illegal. And if you read the terms and conditions, the owner of the product is liable, not the manufacturer for illegal use.

So...
what's the problem?

Yes. Apple came up with a GREAT idea, but someone came up with an even better business model.

This is not paying for ideas, you are paying because Apple knows most people will pay (business model to get maximum money for minimal ideas - c.f. crude oil). If there were less people like you and more who reject Apples dictatorial ways things may change again - for the better.

If anyone is offended, please accept my apologies.
I just though a comment was in order.

Internet banking app optimised for tablet experience

The Commonwealth Bank today rolled out a suite of new mobile banking applications including NetBank for iPad and Android tablets, and a new CommBank mobile banking app for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 7 smartphone platforms.

Citing a growing demand for mobile banking, the Commonwealth Bank says the apps focus on three key areas: simplicity, security and convenience. It said most of its users use mobile banking to check their balances, pay bills and view recent transactions and that the app caters foremost for these needs.

"The key focus is simplicity, security and convenience, particularly simplicity around a small screen," said Andy Lark, Commonwealth Bank's chief marketing and online officer. "We see mobile devices like phones and tablets as an extension of your wallet, and have focussed on enhancing and optimising this mobile experience."

The new mobile banking apps consist of three core functions. The NetBank service allows customers to check transactions, transfer money and pay bills, while the app also includes the CommSec Property Guide (iPhone only) and a new foreign exchange tool kit. The latter allows users to check foreign exchange rates for 33 currencies, and also has calculators for cash rates, Travel Money Card and international money transfers. It allows users to set buying and selling currency alerts, and can track a currency's historical performance over a two year period. [In Focus: Australian Currency Changes 2007 - 2011]

The Commonwealth Bank app also shows you the nearest branch and ATM based on your current GPS location, and includes social media integration with the Bank's Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts. The tablet and smartphone apps are similar, through the apps for the iPad and Android tablets are custom designed to take advantage of the extra screen real estate.

Although a specific Commonwealth Bank app has been developed for three mobile software platforms — iOS, Google Android and Windows Phone 7 — the bank was keen to point out it would develop solutions for the mobile space in general, rather than focus on specific devices or operating systems. It claims to be the first Australian bank to have built a web-based Internet banking app optimised for the "tablet experience."

"The NetBank app has been created with HTML 5 so it works on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet for example," said Lark. It's not just about mobile and tablets, it's about a whole digital ecosystem and long term we want to be device agnostic, to move out of the OS war."

Lark also confirmed that the Commonwealth Bank is currently exploring Near Field Communication (NFC) technology as a future mobile payment system.

"As soon as NFC is ready on devices, we are ready," he said. "NFC is just one part of an evolving payment system."

The new Commonwealth Bank apps can be downloaded now from the iOS App Store, the Google Android Market, while the Windows Phone 7 app will be available in the Windows Marketplace from Thursday 14 July. Alternatively, users with a compatible device can access mobile banking by visiting the Netbank Web site.

Investment bank reported iPad will seize the notebook market

According to investment bank Barclays Capital (Barclays Capital) research report released by iPad and Tablet PC Growth , Windows-Intel notebook sales would have been hit . ipad of selling can lead to decreased sales of notebooks , although iPad function as notebooks, HP Pavilion DV9000 at that time. “

At present, the Tablet PC growth is almost entirely Apple iPad growth, its sales this year or up to 10 million units next year its sales will more than double sales this year . Other manufacturers will also help Tablet PC sales . After following the Streak Dell Tablet PC will also introduce different designs Tablet PC , HP introduced a Tablet PC at least .

Earlier this year , Avian Securities is expected to access the sales volume in 2010 will be 37 million units in 2009 to grow to 47 million units . Almost all Internet use Intel processors and the Microsoft Windows operating system , and a large number of notebooks,also HP Pavilion DV9700 , sold in the same world . Avian notebook (HP Pavilion DV7 )sales are expected to be 1.4 million units last year to grow to 1.8 million units this year .

Barclays Capital believes that due to proliferation of tablet PCs and is expected to more consumption in 2011 will be Windows-Intel notebook PC with Google operating system and turn the PC ARM processor devices . In addition, the popular iPad running Mac OS .

ARM processor has been used for Apple iPad and Dell Streak. Such low-power chips is expected to be used for a large number of tablet PCs in the future . ARM chip suppliers , including Texas Instruments , Qualcomm, Freescale and Nvidia.