Opie and tablets...responses
Kevin Matthews
Description
Collection
Title:
Opie and tablets...responses
Creator:
Kevin Matthews
Date:
5/17/2011
Text:
Thanks to all that took time!!!
Original question:
We just bought Opie for our office and we're wondering what computers people are using for practitioners in patient rooms. We're considering notebook pc's for each practitioner, but we like the idea of a touch screen. Is anyone using any of the new tablets? We were told the I-Pad cannot perform all functions, but what about the others like HP and Dell that offer different operating systems? Any and all input would be appreciated. This, I'm sure, is going to be a little bumpy for a while, so any help would be appreciated. Tablet notebooks are incredibly expensive, but perhaps the best option.
Again I thank those members that take a few moments to help. I know we're all crazy busy and time is a great commodity. Kevin
Replies.............
We don't have Opie, but I think our experience with our system addresses your question. We use a system called eClinical Works (eCW) for everything in our facility. This is my first experience with EMR, and it is phenomenal. I think you'll find the switch well worth it.
We see up to 500 patients per day, and all Clinical staff has access to tablet computers (rotatable touch screens.) However, it is rare to ever see a staff person using their tablet in the tablet configuration. There are a couple reasons for this, in my opinion:
- when typing anything more than two letters the stylus with pop up keyboard is horrendously cumbersome
- handwriting recognition is inaccurate and very slow compared to typing
I even purchased small wireless mice for a couple of us to use as we moved throughout the clinic, since the touch pad is too cumbersome and slow. Clicking through documentation phrases, surfing from screen to screen in the system to find records, etc is much, much easier with a mouse.
Staff regularly use the stylus/touch screen while in laptop mode, so it is very valuable to have that feature. The tablet is very handy (even indispensable) when it comes to electronic forms for Proof of Delivery signatures, etc.
Dropping extended documentation phrases into the record with a few taps of the stylus or clicks of the mouse is pretty cool. When I think about how many notes I've laboriously handwritten, typed, or dictated in the past two decades this may seem a little ridiculous, but some of us now complain when we have to go through too many clicks...
Our IT Director told me last week that the Fujitsu Lifebooks we use are on average $400 more per item than a laptop, but worth the cost in terms of quality/durability. That's coming from a place where that cost difference probably means $50,000.00 for the facility as a whole.
Hope this helps.
Original question:
We just bought Opie for our office and we're wondering what computers people are using for practitioners in patient rooms. We're considering notebook pc's for each practitioner, but we like the idea of a touch screen. Is anyone using any of the new tablets? We were told the I-Pad cannot perform all functions, but what about the others like HP and Dell that offer different operating systems? Any and all input would be appreciated. This, I'm sure, is going to be a little bumpy for a while, so any help would be appreciated. Tablet notebooks are incredibly expensive, but perhaps the best option.
Again I thank those members that take a few moments to help. I know we're all crazy busy and time is a great commodity. Kevin
Replies.............
We don't have Opie, but I think our experience with our system addresses your question. We use a system called eClinical Works (eCW) for everything in our facility. This is my first experience with EMR, and it is phenomenal. I think you'll find the switch well worth it.
We see up to 500 patients per day, and all Clinical staff has access to tablet computers (rotatable touch screens.) However, it is rare to ever see a staff person using their tablet in the tablet configuration. There are a couple reasons for this, in my opinion:
- when typing anything more than two letters the stylus with pop up keyboard is horrendously cumbersome
- handwriting recognition is inaccurate and very slow compared to typing
I even purchased small wireless mice for a couple of us to use as we moved throughout the clinic, since the touch pad is too cumbersome and slow. Clicking through documentation phrases, surfing from screen to screen in the system to find records, etc is much, much easier with a mouse.
Staff regularly use the stylus/touch screen while in laptop mode, so it is very valuable to have that feature. The tablet is very handy (even indispensable) when it comes to electronic forms for Proof of Delivery signatures, etc.
Dropping extended documentation phrases into the record with a few taps of the stylus or clicks of the mouse is pretty cool. When I think about how many notes I've laboriously handwritten, typed, or dictated in the past two decades this may seem a little ridiculous, but some of us now complain when we have to go through too many clicks...
Our IT Director told me last week that the Fujitsu Lifebooks we use are on average $400 more per item than a laptop, but worth the cost in terms of quality/durability. That's coming from a place where that cost difference probably means $50,000.00 for the facility as a whole.
Hope this helps.
Citation
Kevin Matthews, “Opie and tablets...responses,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/232617.
