Medical Smartphones [part of HCPLive]

Using an external battery pack when traveling

2010-03-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

In the past, I used to carry spare smartphone batteries. I would carry an extended battery or a standard spare in my bag. However, I stopped that trend last year and now I carry a small external battery pack that allows me to recharge my smartphone when I'm traveling.

Given that I replace my smartphone roughly every 2 years (through the Verizon "New Every Two" plan), I found that it really didn't make sense for me to go out and buy many accessories for my smartphone. Therefore, I no longer buy spare batteries. I also don't buy cases. I simply use a screen protector and that's it.

By using an external battery pack, I know that I can also use that same power source to recharge my iPod, my Bluetooth headset, and a few other small electronics. Plus, when I replace my smartphone, I can still use the same battery pack. I recommend getting something small and something that simply has a standard USB port. This little 5V outlet can recharge many devices as long as you carry a USB cable.

Guide to Windows Phone 7 Series

2010-03-21T00:21:00.000-07:00

As always, the bloggers at Engadget have created a comprehensive guide about the Windows Phone 7 Series. If you're intrigued by this new smartphone operating system, then make sure to take a look at the guide and view some of the videos that walk through key features that will be found on this new system. Can you wait until December for this new OS?

Here's the key line from their summary:

The visual and underlying differences in the operating system are almost too numerous to mention, including a completely (and we do mean completely) upended user interface, an emphasis on finger-based touchscreen input, deep social networking integration, fully branded and expansive Zune and Xbox components, and extremely strict hardware requirements for partners.

Wouldn't it be great if someday we had a universal smartphone OS where you could run any app? I doubt we'll get there, but it was a nice little thought for a few moments.

Future smartphones: pick and install your OS

2010-03-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

I can't wait until we can simply pick and install our operating system of choice after we purchase a smartphone. After all, we have that flexibility with PCs. You can install Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Ubutnu, or even Mac OS X (if you're creative). Why can't we do that with our smartphones?

Actually, we can to some extent. I know that many people have been installing Android ROMs on HTC smartphones like the Touch and the Touch Pro2. I don't think I've heard anyone installing the iPhone OS on any other device.

I've played around with custom ROMs in the past, but this can be a time-consuming hobby. Each time you install a new ROM, you have to reinstall all your apps. New ROms are constantly being generated as users within the community identify bugs and fixes. At some point, maybe I'll install Android on my HTC Touch Pro2 (which is currently running Windows Mobile 6.5). Then again, it would probably be much easier to simply go out and get a Motorola Droid.

Five Innovative Telemedicine Solutions

2010-03-19T00:13:00.000-07:00

This is a guest post by Greg Bartlett. If you're interested in submitting a guest post, please contact me.

Regardless of advances in communications and GPS tracking technology, we’re still a long way off from seeing widespread practical implementation of telemedicine. Yet for some patients in certain areas of the globe, remote monitoring is the only viable solution. For those with unique problems, doctors and tech experts are crafting some very unique solutions.

Doctors and health professionals serving the Navajo Nation have launched an unprecedented telemedicine solution that involves smartphones, GPS tracking, and even weather balloons. For those on the reservation, much of which is undeveloped wilderness, access to advanced medical services is limited. Here’s how the solution works: patients are given devices which monitor glucose levels, blood pressure, and other indicators. The monitors the periodically ping receivers in industrial-grade weather balloons that float high above the reservation. Each day, the data-heavy receiver packages are parachuted down to health professionals, who employ GPS tracking devices to recover them. For a huge patient area with no cell towers or satellite receivers, sometimes a mix of old and new tech does the job.

Perhaps a more confined—if more extreme—environment for health monitoring is Mt. Everest. This year, the Everest Extreme Expedition will be using a TIMA-developed telemedicine solution which will allow a team of medical professionals scattered across the globe to monitor and comment on the health of each expedition member. GPS tracking, as in previous years, will also be used to ensure no member becomes lost. The same satellite-based communications technology has been used elsewhere, but perhaps never in a more challenging application.

Telemedicine often makes the patient’s day easier, but what if the same technology was used to reach out to doctors? The MassGeneral Hospital in Boston has launched a new program for their Pediatric Intensive Care Unit which allows in-hospital patients to interact with physicians still at home. Using standard video communications, doctors can remain on call while at home, reviewing patients and instructing nurses whenever needed. This allows a greater number of doctors—and crucial expertise—to be available to patients at any one time.

In perhaps less of an innovation and more of a market outreach, both Cisco and Verizon have launched new telemedicine services which are fully integrated into their existing cellular networks. The move comes as tech companies begin to recognize the growing acceptance of telemedicine within the medical community.
And, as every robo-apocalypse film should have warned us, the CareBots are here. Georgia-based Gecko Systems has developed a line of personal care robots outfitted with blood pressure monitors and other miscellaneous medical hardware. The company hopes these robots will overcome the primary limitation of telemedicine: the lack of physical interaction. Talks are in the air of marketing this in Japan, where dubious robot slaves are a little more popular.

Greg Batlett runs Copy-hub.com. He specializes in writing about health and technology, including GPS and insurance, and has earned two master’s degrees.

VMware (virtualization software)

2010-03-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

This is being republished from my other blog: MobileHealthComputing.com

Have you heard of the term "virtualization software" used in the context of health IT? I'm sure you've heard of cloud computing. Some experts have said that virtualization unlocks cloud computing. Many people still have misconceptions about cloud computing and may even confuse this phrase with virtualization. Grid computing (a form of distributed computing and parallel computing, whereby a 'super and virtual computer' is composed of a cluster of networked, loosely coupled computers acting in concert to perform very large tasks) deals with virtual machines.

If you're confused about virtualization, maybe you need to exploring some VMware training options. If you're taking a course on medical informatics, maybe you've encountered some examples of cloud computing, virtualization, etc. Well, let's talk about virtualization today and let's start with a definition according to Wikipedia:

Virtualization is a term that refers to the abstraction of computer resources:

You've probably heard of the phrase "virtual machine" or VM.

Virtual machine (VM), a software implementation of a machine (computer) that executes programs like a real machine.

So, what's the difference between something that's virtual vs. something that's real? Maybe it would help by looking at a specific example called VMware. You've probably heard of this company, but in case you haven't, here's a snippet from Wikipedia:

VMware software provides a completely virtualized set of hardware to the guest operating system. VMware software virtualizes the hardware for a video adapter, a network adapter, and hard disk adapters. The host provides pass-through drivers for guest USB, serial, and parallel devices. In this way, VMware virtual machines become highly portable between computers, because every host looks nearly identical to the guest. In practice, a system administrator can pause operations on a virtual machine guest, move or copy that guest to another physical computer, and there resume execution exactly at the point of suspension. Alternately, for enterprise servers, a feature called VMotion allows the migration of operational guest virtual machines between similar but separate hardware hosts sharing the same storage. Each of these transitions is completely transparent to any users on the virtual machine at the time it is being migrated.

IT professionals who don't have a significant amount of experience with virtualization software are often looking for VMware training videos from companies like Train Signal (a provider of VMware training solutions). As cloud computing and virtualization get integrated into health IT systems, it will be very important for IT professionals to be trained in these areas.

Google Sync for your smartphone

2010-03-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

I've been using Google Sync for my smartphone and I've had some positive results so far. If you visit the Google Sync website (http://www.google.com/mobile/sync/), you'll see apps and instructions for: BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Nokia. Android has Google Sync built into its operating system.

So, what's so great about Google Sync? I share my Google calendar with several people in my family and they can easily make changes to my calendar. These changes appear on my smartphone, so this helps me stay organized with my family. Google Sync can also be used in the corporate setting.

Want to learn more? Watch this short little video about Google Sync:

Mobile phone options in Australia

2010-03-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

When's the last time you were visiting Australia? A new mobile phone site has just launched in Australia, allowing users to compare more than 1,000 different handsets and plans. The site, MobileBuddy.com.au, compares the best live deals on Australian mobile handsets, phone plans, prepaid and cap-plan options. So, if you're looking for a comparison website, you may want to take a look. I always use comparison sites and I also rely on customer reviews to guide my purchasing decisions. The other night, I purchased an iPod accessory that had received stronger reviews compared to a similar accessory.

My Australian colleagues tell me that the Australian mobile industry can be quite overwhelming. Just like many other places in the world, Australians have to choose among a wide range of plans and handsets. Which phone is best? What does MobileBuddy.com.au say? How do you compare the networks in your country against those in different countries? In Europe, we see GSM providers that carry devices that you'll never find in North America. What about in Australia? We know they have Vodafone, Dodo, 3Mobile, and JUST Mobile. You won't find Verizon or Sprint.

Will you find the Apple iPhone or any HTC Android smartphones? Will you also get the same type of BlackBerry devices that you'll find anywhere else? MobileBuddy.com.au also features a large library of articles exploring new phone technology, emerging features, and things to look out for before signing long-term phone contracts. People are always looking for the best deals and the latest handset features.

Use Orkov for PubMed searches on your iPhone or iPod touch

2010-03-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

Search PubMed from your iPhone with Orkov's powerful and advanced search capability. All the options of PubMed's web pages are wrapped into a powerful iPhone app that is easy to use and navigate. Search journals and review abstracts. Bookmark, download and save PDFs of Full Text articles whenever available and email the abstracts, search results, full text and downloaded PDF articles with notes.

FEATURES include the following:

• Search PubMed (Basic and Advanced Searches)
• Retrieve full text articles and PDFs from PubMed, PubMed Central and other sources when available.
• Link to other full text article sources
• Retain Search History
• Save searches, abstracts and full text articles
• Keep notes with your full text articles, PDF downloads and abstracts
• Link to LoanSome Doc to borrow journals
• Navigate lengthy full text articles quickly with our exclusive "Jump" button. Our ‘Jump’ button dynamically populates main sections of an XML based full text article
• Zoom in on Figures
• Find related articles (to multiple levels)
• Find related articles by authors (to multiple levels)
• Built-in browser (No need to leave or close Orkov) for viewing documents available through other services
• Immediate, Complete and FREE 30 day instant access to all the features of Orkov

HTC HD2 about to launch on T-Mobile on March 24

2010-03-17T03:37:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to play around with the new HTC HD2 smartphone while I was at HIMSS10. This is a really nice Windows Mobile smartphone! (of course, you have to be a Windows Mobile user to appreciate this device)

So what's so great about the HD2? It's very thin, sleek, it has 1 GHz processor, and it has a 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive screen with multi-touch support. This is the first Windows Phone to use a capacitive multi-touch screen. (supporting gestures like pinch-to-zoom)

The major drawback is that it's running Windows Mobile 6.5 instead of Windows Phone 7 Series. I suppose that could be both good and bad. If you'd like to run your old Windows Mobile applications, then you don't want to upgrade to Windows Phone 7 Series. I actually still have several old apps that I'd rather not re-purchase.

My ReachMD commentary about smartphones

2010-03-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

I'm on ReachMD talking about smartphones this week. As more physicians choose to use smartphones, they need to make choices about operating systems and functionality. You can listen to my commentary here and be sure to vote in the poll:
http://www.reachmd.com/xmsegment.aspx?sid=5337

According to a recent Manhattan Research report, 80% of physicians will be using smartphones by the year 2013. Are you currently using a smartphone, or are you using an older device like a Palm Pilot?

If you’ve never used a smartphone, get ready to have the power of the Internet right in your hand. You can check your e-mail anywhere you go, access automatically updated databases, and stay current with the latest medical news. By leveraging this type of digital information, you can use this powerful device right at the point of care. Plus, if you’re currently using an electronic health record, you may even have access to that EHR right from your phone.

Now if we stop to look at a few specific smartphones, we’ll see that the Apple iPhone is very popular among physicians. However, this device lack a physical keyboard and some users have complained about the difficulty of using the on-screen keyboard. So, if you’re looking for a device that has a physical keyboard, consider the Motorola Droid running Google’s Android operating system or the Palm Pre running the new Palm webOS. Microsoft is also coming out with a brand new system called Windows Phone 7 Series. BlackBerry is rumored to be releasing a device that finally includes both a touch screen plus a physical keyboard, so you can have the best of both worlds.

Be sure to vote in this week’s poll about smartphones: what feature is most important when you’re selecting a smartphone?

http://www.reachmd.com/xmsegment.aspx?sid=5337

How safe is your smartphone data?

2010-03-16T05:36:00.000-07:00

What would happen if you lost your smartphone? Is your data safe? Do you have any patient info on it?

Thousands of smartphones probably get lost each day (I don't have the statistic, but I'm sure it's high). I don't know how many of them get returned to their owners. but that number is probably low.

I still meet many physicians who are not locking their smartphones. Plus, they're leaving sensitive data on files that are stored on the memory card, so even if the phone is locked, the data on that card can be accessed by anyone who finds the device.

I've never lost my phone, but I've come close several times. I'm sure that all of us have probably come close (call it a near miss). Make sure your smartphone is locked and that you're not carrying any sensitive patient info on it.

Windows Phone 7 Series news and updates (Microsoft MIX10)

2010-03-16T00:37:00.000-07:00

Well, there's good news and bad news from Microsoft MIX10. For most of you who are currently using devices that are running Windows Mobile 6.5, you probably won't see any official ROM upgrades for Windows Phone 7 Series. The good news is that you can buy a Windows Phone 7 Series made by several different manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, HTC, and others. Plus, you'll have the option to purchase a slim touch-screen candybar-style smartphone or a thicker slider that includes a QWERTY keyboard. As a Windows Phone 7 Series user, you'll have a wide selection of devices.

Also, it sounds like the only way for consumers to get apps on the new Windows Phone 7 Series will be through the "Marketplace" (which is the Microsoft equivalent of an App Store). There will be enterprise options for corporate users. To view additional images of Windows Phone 7 Series, visit Engadget.

Readers Are Devouring Apple Book Apps

2010-03-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

On BusinessWeek, there's a story titled, "Readers Are Devouring Apple Book Apps." Demand for digital book applications on Apple devices gives developers and publishers fresh ways to make money—a mixed blessing for Amazon. Do you agree?

How many books have you read on your iPhone or iPod touch? If you already have a smartphone that is capable of being an e-book reader (or e-reader), then why would you go out and invest several hundred dollars for a dedicated e-book reader like the Kindle, Nook, or QUE? Does it really make sense?

With the new Apple iPad on the horizon, the digital book industry may get revolutionized as devices like the iPad offer much more capabilities that extend beyond traditional e-book readers. Having a multimedia interface and Internet access on your iPad could change the way consumers and even health care professionals access both work-related and personal books.

3G Broadband Card vs. Tethering

2010-03-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

If you use a smartphone, do you also carry a separate 3G broadband card for your mobile computer? Why not tether using your smartphone?

My Lenovo ThinkPad has a built-in 3G radio, but I would need to use AT&T if I wanted to use the internal wireless card. I could also get a 3G mobile broadband USB card for any of the major wireless providers in my area. Does it make sense to get a separate card if I can also tether?

The only reason it doesn't make sense is money. If you're trying to save money, then tether.

Otherwise, here are several reasons why you should consider a dedicated 3G wireless card for your mobile computer:

Save battery life on your smartphone. (smartphones can have trouble charging if you're connecting via a USB cable to tether)
Talk and surf. If you're tethering, you can't talk and surf simultaneously. So, if you need Internet access while you're talking on the phone, you'll need a separate connection.
Reliable connection. Tethering is reliable, but not as reliable as a dedicated broadband card.
Heat. Tethering will probably heat up your smartphone. That can also lead to a shorter battery life span.
Sharing. Do you ever need to share that 3G broadband wireless card? It's much more difficult to share your smartphone.
Bulk. Why have anything connected to your mobile device if your computer has an internal built-in radio?

I realize that dedicated 3G wireless plans are expensive. We're talking about roughly $60/month just for the data access. When 4G networks roll out, that price could even go up. Or, you may need to choose among different data plans for your dedicated broadband access card.

Windows Phone 7 Series

2010-03-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

I've been following some of the stories out there concerning Windows Phone 7 Series because I've been a long-time Windows Mobile user. I've also used Android and I have an iPod touch, but now I admit that I'm intrigued by Windows Phone 7 Series. Here are some interesting facts about smartphones that will run Windows Phone 7 Series:

480 x 800 (WVGA) pixels at launch, with a future update that will introduce a 320 x 480 (HVGA) native resolution.
1GHz Snapdragon processor
Several different design configurations (candybar, slider, etc.)

So, I think the really big question is: what type of effort will Microsoft make to beat the competition? Do they even have a chance given how the iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry have gobbled up the majority of the market? Let's wait and see.

Budget cell phone plans

2010-03-12T20:29:00.000-08:00

How do you find the best cell phone plan? Maybe you're a medical student or a resident on a really tight budget. Do you go with prepay phones? Where can you find the best deals? Should you shop online for the lowest prices? Maybe you rely on your friends and family to help you with the bill. Some people simply eliminate the landline phone and carry a mobile phone. If you're looking for an online resource where you can compare different cell phone plans, you may want to try Billshrink.

Sometimes, you may see an online deal that simply looks too good to be true. It can be difficult to determine which plans are really the best cell phone plans. After all, you're not always comparing apples to apples. Some mobile carriers offer different features and benefits. Do you use a lot of minutes, or would you be the type to roll over your unused minutes? Maybe you need an unlimited talk plan. If you're like me, then maybe you're on a family plan. Plus, if the majority of your friends and family are on the same carrier, then you may have unlimited talk time with them since many carriers now offer free calling within the same carrier network.

So, when it comes to selecting a smartphone, which one should you get? Go with the free one? The newest smartphone like the Motorola Droid? A refurbished phone? You can find a refurbished Apple iPhone for amazing prices. Maybe you're looking for a great deal on eBay. Be cautious if you're going to buy a used phone, since these types of devices are often dropped or damaged.

Well, I've been on the same carrier for almost ten years. It's hard to believe that our family hasn't switched carriers, but our current carrier serves us well and since many of our existing friends and family members also use the same carrier, there's really no reason to change. Plus, it allows us to use a lower price plan, so we're saving money that we can now use for vacation.

Novothink Solar Surge iPhone / iPod touch charging case

2010-03-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

If you're working in the hospital, you may not get very much sunlight. However, if you'd like to explore a new way to charge your iPhone or iPod touch when you're outdoors, then consider the Novothink Solar Surge iPhone / iPod touch charging case.

NOVOTHINK empowers you to take advantage of the free, clean power of the sun by offering innovative solar technology for today’s portable electronic devices. We believe that everyone can make a positive difference for our planet, and through small steps, we can make monumental progress towards a clean, green future.

From 3G to 4G networks

2010-03-12T00:50:00.000-08:00

In different parts of the country, you can experience a 4G network which is much faster than the current 3G network. 4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards.

According some news the other day, Verizon will probably roll out 4G networks by the middle of 2011. Sprint currently has a 4G network in several places in the U.S.

The next Apple iPhone will probably be a 4G model. When will AT&T be set up for 4G? How about T-Mobile?

As wireless standards continue to evolve, we can anticipate faster data transmission which will lead to more capable smartphones. This means more broadband access, more streaming video, faster file uploads and downloads, and

Google Android on the HTC Touch Pro2

2010-03-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

Want to replace your smartphone operating system? Watch this video where developers have installed Android on the HTC Touch Pro2 (which normally runs Windows Mobile).

Top medical apps on the iPhone App Store

2010-03-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

Right now, Medscape (from WebMD) is the #1 free medical app and iPharmacy (by SigmaPhone LLC) is the #1 paid medical app on the iPhone App Store.

You'll also notice that both Epocrates and Medscape both have over 2,000 ratings and they each have 3.5 stars (out of 5).

It's always interesting to see how these medical apps rank in the App Store. If you don't have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can view these same apps on iTunes by visiting the App Store.

Motorola CLIQ XT on T-Mobile

2010-03-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

It's great to see that Motorola is getting back into the mobile phone market with its Android smartphones. The Motorola CLIQ XT will be coming to T-Mobile fairly soon. Are you a T-Mobile customer? If you wait an Android smartphone that also includes a hardware QWERTY keyboard, then you should get the Motorola CLIQ (unless you want to get the old G1).

If you want something thin and light (that lacks a physical keyboard), then the CLIQ XT will be a nice option.

Soon, all the Android smartphones on T-Mobile will say: "Touch Screen with On-Screen Keyboard"

Epocrates Pulse Newsletter

2010-03-10T20:48:00.001-08:00

Here are some snippets from the March 2010 Epocrates Pulse Newsletter:

Improving Patient Safety

Epocrates is committed to helping healthcare professionals improve patient safety. You can use our drug interaction checker on your handheld device to identify harmful interactions among your patient's medications and our dosing feature to ensure the dosage is appropriate. In a recent Epocrates survey, we found that over 60% of physicians credit Epocrates software for helping them to avoid one ADE per week!

Free Schizophrenia Mobile Resource Center

The new Schizophrenia Mobile Resource Center provides editorially independent commentaries on important clinical news and research in schizophrenia. The content is selected and commented upon by a highly regarded thought leader in the areas of schizophrenia and psychiatry. The material is updated every 2 weeks and includes clinical news, conference highlights, resources, and scientific abstracts.

It's Here! Epocrates Rx for Android and Palm webOS

With our new Epocrates Rx beta application, you will have quick and easy access to reliable drug information. Epocrates Rx provides you with multiple clinical tools in one easy-to-use application. Please note that the clinical content will not be updated for the beta version of this application.

http://www.epocrates.com

Dragon Medical Mobile Apps for Smartphones

2010-03-10T04:40:00.000-08:00

This was released last week while I was at HIMSS10.

Nuance Extends Power and Experience of Mobile, Voice-Enabled Documentation and Search to the Healthcare Industry; Unveils Dragon Medical Mobile Apps for Smartphones

Advanced Mobile Point-of-Care Solutions Deliver Real-Time Speech Recognition, Dictation and Search Capabilities

HIMSS 2010, Atlanta, GA – March 01, 2010 – Nuance Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: NUAN), today announced it will showcase an advanced suite of Dragon Medical Mobile technologies and solutions at HIMSS. Building upon the recent success of its Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search consumer apps for the iPhone, which are powered by world-renowned Dragon NaturallySpeaking software, Nuance will extend its mobile speech technologies to the healthcare industry. By applying its award-winning speech recognition and capture capabilities to smartphones, Nuance can help physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers, such as therapists, efficiently access clinical information and document patient encounters using their mobile devices. Nuance will preview several innovative voice-powered Dragon Medical Mobile technologies and solutions at HIMSS this week; availability is expected throughout this year, beginning in the spring of 2010.

Today there is rapidly accelerating demand from clinicians for mobile solutions that can help them more easily document, retrieve and communicate patient information at the point-of-care. In fact, according to market-research firm Manhattan Research LLC of New York, by 2011 about 81 percent of U.S. physicians will be using smartphones. The urgency for such solutions is further heightened by industry and federal government mandates to expediently migrate medical information into Electronic Health Records (EHRs). To help clinicians take full advantage of advances in mobile computing, Nuance has developed a variety of mobile technologies that are designed specifically for clinicians to improve productivity and satisfaction with documentation workflow, information access and communication via the smartphone.

At HIMSS this week, Nuance will showcase the following voice-enabled mobile solutions for smartphones:

* Dragon Medical Mobile Dictation — Nuance will demonstrate a healthcare version of its popular and first-of-its-kind Dragon Dictation app, which is based on Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition technology. The app allows clinicians to dictate patient notes, emails and text messages instead of typing them on a mobile device. With Dragon Medical Mobile Dictation clinicians can dictate and capture information via a smartphone in real-time without having to return to the desktop, or rely on the keyboard or touch screen. And because Dragon Medical Mobile Dictation is a server-based app, all of the speech recognition is performed in the cloud using advanced real-time streaming capabilities.
* Dragon Medical Mobile Search — Nuance will show a healthcare version of its Dragon Search app, providing an intuitive voice-powered solution that gives clinicians a smarter way to search for medical information. Utilizing the same server-based speech recognition technology as the Dragon Medical Mobile Dictation app, the Search app will allow clinicians to simply speak a request to conduct fast and easy searches on various medical websites. A unique display carousel will show search results simultaneously from a variety of popular websites, such as MedScape, MedLine, Epocrates and Google. The app will also help identify correct coding information to ensure that clinical services are appropriately billed and accurately documented. Dragon Medical Mobile Search will be the first Dragon Medical Mobile App made available by April 30th.
* Dragon Medical Mobile Recorder — Nuance will preview a voice-capture app that will allow clinicians to conduct on-the-go dictation on a smartphone. Once recorded, the clinicians’ voice file is forwarded through Nuance’s background speech recognition technology and onto transcription where a high-quality draft document is created and then sent back to the clinician for review and sign-off. The Dragon Medical Recorder app is designed for healthcare organizations that leverage either of Nuance’s enterprise-wide speech-enabled dictation and transcription solutions, eScription or the Dictaphone Enterprise Speech System.
* Dragon Medical Mobile SDK — Nuance will preview its Dragon Medical Mobile SDK (software developer kit) that will be offered to third-party healthcare information technology companies and partners. This SDK will allow developers, including EHR vendors, to build solutions that can incorporate Nuance’s Dragon Medical Mobile capabilities. Eclipsys is the first healthcare information technology company to embed Dragon Medical Mobile SDK within its mobile application suite to enable speech-driven navigation and clinical documentation. This differentiating feature is part of a third-generation mobile version of Eclipsys’ industry-leading Sunrise Clinical Manager™ EHR system for the iPhone that the company will preview at HIMSS10 (Eclipsys Booth #5833).

“Innovation in point-of-care solutions is occurring at a very fast pace, driven in large part by the incredible computing power available from smartphone platforms like the iPhone,” said Surj Ramlogan, Eclipsys vice president, Software Development. “A key element of Eclipsys’ market strategy is to leverage game-changing technologies to deliver our new mobile solution suite. Integrating Nuance’s Dragon Medical Mobile platform speech recognition capabilities into our iPhone platform took only a matter of weeks and it is a prime example of our commitment to innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.”

“Nuance has helped revolutionize the mobile experience by providing people with simple, intuitive and easy-to-use voice-powered capabilities on their smartphones and other devices. With the innovative solutions we’re showcasing this week, Nuance is helping bring the power of mobile speech to the healthcare community, and make clinical documentation and information access more efficient for the clinician,” said Peter Durlach, senior vice president, marketing and product strategy, Nuance Healthcare. “Whether quickly documenting a patient encounter while rounding, searching the Internet for medical information, or sending a quick spoken text message about a patient’s condition to a colleague, Nuance’s Dragon Medical Mobile solutions will speed up and simplify the process.”

While at HIMSS, visit Nuance at booth #7633 to see previews of the Dragon Medical Mobile technologies as well as the entire healthcare portfolio.
Nuance’s Healthcare Business

Nuance’s healthcare portfolio of proven, speech-enabled clinical documentation and communication solutions enable healthcare provider organizations to improve financial performance, enhance patient care, and increase patient safety. With more than 5,000 healthcare provider organization customers worldwide, Nuance has the experience and solutions that meet the individual needs of any size healthcare provider organization.
About Nuance Communications, Inc.

Nuance is a leading provider of speech and imaging solutions for businesses and consumers around the world. Its technologies, applications and services make the user experience more compelling by transforming the way people interact with information and how they create, share and use documents. Every day, millions of users and thousands of businesses experience Nuance’s proven applications and professional services. For more information, please visit: www.nuance.com.

Nuance, Dragon and the Nuance logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nuance Communications, Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other company names or product names may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

The statements in this press release, relating to future plans or future events or services, are forward-looking statements which are subject to specific risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward looking statements, including fluctuations in demand for the Nuance products, the relationship with the customer or partner and the continued development of Nuance products. The reader is warned not to rely on these forward-looking statements without reservation, since these are simply reflections of the current situation. Nuance disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this document.

iPhone game development - the future of mobile gaming

2010-03-10T03:26:00.000-08:00

Here are some snippets from a recent CNET article about the Apple iPhone and the gaming industry:

The Game Developers Conference has traditionally held a summit for mobile devices.
This year, there is a separate summit called "iPhone Games" and there are 16 panels for this summit.
Developers say designing for the iPhone is (relatively) easy compared to other platforms.
The iPhone is now recognized as a leading platform that's independent from the mobile market.

You've probably played around with some type of game on your iPhone or iPod touch. I admit that I've used my iPod touch to distract my kids during long car rides. The gaming industry has even infiltrated health care and we've seen organizations use gaming techniques for educational purposes.

Given that smartphones are being used by such a wide demographic audience, it's no surprise that the gaming market is thriving in the iPhone space.