A.D.A.M. Symptom Identifier

A.D.A.M has made a consumer-oriented symptom identifier that uses the iPhone interface. This is a web-based database that uses the graphic interface of the iPhone Safari application to link to data about diseases. This could probably also be offered as a device-resident application. This is another glimpse of some of the ideas possible related to health care on the iPhone.

New life for the Nightingale Tracker?

In the 1990s a proprietary handheld computer called the Nightingale Tracker was developed by Fitne, Inc. Using the Omaha standardized taxonomy it organized patient data collection and classification of problems. The Tracker was shown to be very valuable in home health nursing but was limited by the expensive devices required to run it. It seemed that the Tracker was ahead of its time.

With the development of the iPhone/iPod Touch SDK it may be time to look again at the Tracker technology. The small size, voice capability, sharp graphics, and high memory capacity of the iPhone eliminates the past limitations. The iPhone is an ideal device to take into home care settings. The Tracker can guide the nurse through required assessments, integrate with the client's health data, and communicate back to the home office.

From the rumor mill...

As we wait for the release of new firmware that will allow medical software be installed on an iPhone or iPod Touch, here are some news and rumor tidbits from around the Internet:

1. Beta 5 of the iPhone SDK is out. This version has come out only a few weeks after the last beta. Each version has more and more capabilities. I am hoping to learn some programming so I can develop a few simple clinical utilities myself.

2. The iPhone is no longer available for sale on the US or UK web stores. Is it possible that the new iPhone will soon be for sale? All signs point to 3G network speeds which should be a big improvement. What other features that will be found in iPhone 2.0 are still a mystery. With no phone for sale as of today it would seem logical that a new phone will need to be announced soon.

3. The updated firmware for the iPhone will probably need to be installed later for buyers of the new iPhone. Apple's policy is to give new firmware to iPhone users; expect a $20 charge for iPod Touch users to get the new features. This is what they did with the last firmware update.

4. No public demos of iPhone medical software yet. I have been scouring the web looking for any news of testing. This is not surprising as user testing really won't be practical until the 2.0 firmware is released.

iPhones Cut Medical Costs?

BusinessWeek has an article discussing how the improved remote access to medical records provided by the iPhone could improve medical care. A powerful handheld computer with high quality graphics, and a fast network connection from almost anywhere, can reduce errors and unnecessary ER visits.

EMR on iPhone

ZDNet has a good article about an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system for the iPhone. The large, clear screen and fast computing power make it useful for bedside record access. One of the biggest embarrassments to me in healthcare is how far behind we are in implementing computerized access to records.