Health IT writers get 'positively Tiger Beat' over the iPad

"Medical-technology trade publications are getting positively Tiger Beat in their enthusiasm," freelancer Martha C. White writes in the Washington Post's "The Big Money" column.

We plead guilty on all counts.

White, of course, is talking about the iPad, in a piece headlined, "With the iPad, Apple may just revolutionize medicine." She quotes some of the usual suspects in health IT, notably Harvard techies Dr. John Halamka and Dr. Blackford Middleton. Middleton, chairman of the Center for Information Technology Leadership, says a device like the iPad could save the U.S. health sector billions of dollars if it's widely accepted--and, we presume, well-integrated into workflows--among physicians and nurses.

Meanwhile, the astute John Moore of Chilmark Research wisely puts a question mark in his headline: "iPad in Healthcare: A Game Changer?" Moore says that healthcare will get the greatest benefits from the iPad in the areas of medical education and communication between patients and clinicians. The user interface, integrated e-book support and large, 9-inch screen create what Moore calls "an incredibly rich ecosystem/learning environment for medical students. Nothing else comes close--a slam-dunk for Apple."

Moore also provides some useful links to other healthcare-related reviews of the iPad, including one blogger who list the challenges medical users might face with the shiny, new Apple product.

To learn more:
- read White's column in the Washington Post
- check out Moore's review on the Chilmark blog