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MANAGEMENT TEAM DECISION As part of the antirecession stimulus bill, the fed. ca

ID: 376484 • Letter: M

Question

MANAGEMENT TEAM DECISION As part of the antirecession stimulus bill, the fed. can handle the rigors of a medical setting, he asks? the modernization of medical records. You've been considering making the switch to computer-based records for some time now, and the stimulus funds some warnings. Do you think that flimsy thing He doesn't think it would last more than a month gency room. And what about security? What kind Switching to the iPad3 eral government allocated $19 billion to subsidize in a pediatrician's office, much less a hectic emer of features does it have that will protect patient you: "You know, people who buy first-generation will certainly make that decision a little easier. But confidentiality? And then, he drops this bomb on which system will you buy? You've visited a num- Apple products are suckers." He reminds you that ber of other practices and hospitals to see what the first iPhone sold for $600 but had a minimal desktops, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), number of applications. Just two months later, the Apple sold the iPhone 3G, with faster network ac they're using, and you've found a dizzying variety- and smartphones, all running different software. price was cut to $400, and 10 months after that, You've heard, though, that Apples iPad might cess and thousands of more apps, for just $300 trump them all. Apples tablet computer has an You could buy the iPad now, he says, but why not elegant design, an easy-to-use operating system, wait until Apple releases a cheaper, faster iPad great battery life, and a sharp display. Already, in- surance giant Kaiser Permanente, Harvard Medical Schools, and the prestigious Cedars-Sinai Hospital have conducted trial programs to test the iPad with better features? A nd then, he reminds that H-P, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft hav competing tablet computers and applications What if those are even better for medical records medical facilities. Best of all, its and they become the industry standard? Do compared to other laptop comput want to be left behind? and they become the industry standard? Do we ers, and it has a low learning curve, because most o the doctors in your practice already use the iPhone. In addition to getting federal funding, then, the iPad can bring several first-mover advantages for your practice. Your medical records will be consoli dated and more efficient than competitors, which will make your entire operation run more smoothl Patients will have to spend less time waiting for you and your staff to retrieve their charts and review their history. And it never hurts to have a reputation for being a practice that uses cutting-edge technology. But just as you're about to order iPads for ev eryone in the office, one of your colleagues has Questions Considering the various first-mover and second-mover advantages, would you switch to the iPad or wait? 1. How important is it that the medical records system you select for your practice reflects the industry standard? 3. Do the benefits of having a computerized medical records system outweigh the involved in setting that system up? 490 Effective

Explanation / Answer

1.

Considering both the sides of the coin as well as the warning from the colleague, I would choose not to switch to the iPad for now. Here are the reasons for the same :

2.

Keeping up with the industry standards is very important in any business. It will have an impact on the brand image for the medical practice.

Also, having a digital system will affect the efficiency of processes in the practice positively. It will help reduce the waiting time for patients by a margin. Retrieving their charts and reviewing records will be much easier for the doctors as well. At the same time, security of medical records is equally important and should be taken care of before installing such a system.

3.

Mostly, the setup cost will only be a one time cost. But not updating with the times will surely cost the medical practice much more than feasible. The benefits as mentioned in the previous part surely outweigh the one time setup cost that may be involved for the same. This would be an investment that will pay for itself multiple times in the future and having physical records for all the patients is becoming a obsolete practice quickly.