Survey Says…? Is iPad for Healthcare or not?

In response to Mac unveiling the new, controversial iPad, our good friends at Medical Software Advice conducted an investigation to pinpoint the healthcare industry’s wish list for an ‘ideal’ tablet device.   The responses from the 178 physicians, nurses, medical students, and healthcare IT professionals may surprise you.

Over 50% of the respondents stated they were at least somewhat likely to buy a tablet in the 2010 year.  It sounds like the iPad’s timing couldn’t be better!  With over half of the target market anticipating a purchase soon, a substantial portion of the market share awaits to be claimed!

But, the question still remains….will the iPad hold up to the standards needed from the healthcare industry?

Moving from the general public to a narrow niche requires ample market research and specialized product development. Take a look at the wide variety of tasks the healthcare industry wants from the tablet:

Chart depicts what % of respondents thought a feature was a “must-have” in a tablet. 
Courtesy of Medical Software Advice, a blog about electronic health records.

From this long list of “must-haves,” Chris Thorman summed up the current deficiencies the iPad should be looking to overcome:

“It lacks a large number of features that healthcare professionals deemed important, such as resistance to dust and hospital fluids and disinfectants (the iPad does not have sealed ports); fingerprint access to the system (HIPAA compliance); barcode scanning (patient safety); and an integrated camera (documenting diagnosis). In fact, you could argue that the iPad’s difficulty in being disinfected or kept clean of hospital fluids is a deal breaker for healthcare workers.”

I found it interesting that nearly a dozen new tablet devices were showcased at the Consumer Electronic Show earlier this year.   But, before Apple’s announcement last week, a tablet was still a form of pill in my book. 

So, fellow marketers should be rejoicing over the free hype Apple’s device brought to the tablet marketplace.  After all, the iPad (or some play on that name!) has been a trending topic on Twitter since the announcement reached the general public.

For more details on Medical Software Advice’s investigation, check out their blog post: Healthcare Wants a Tablet, But Not Apple’s iPad | Survey Results