Over one quarter of European doctors use an iPad at work

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014


Data from a new study has shown that 26 percent of European doctors own an iPad and spend over a quarter of their professional time using the device, with another 40 percent say they plan to buy an iPad within six months.



The study conducted by Manhattan Research in the fourth quarter of 2011 surveyed 1,207 physicians in the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Italy to quantify the time doctors spend online while at work, as well as a breakdown of which internet-capable device is used most, reports pharmaceutical industry blog PMLiVE.



In total, iPad-toting doctors used the device for 27 percent of professional internet use, while traditional computers like desktops and laptops accounted for 55 percent and smartphones rounded out the field with 18 percent.



“We discovered that iPad-owning physicians spend an impressive 27 per cent of their professional online time on the device, likely replacing desktop time and probably some offline media time too," said Manhattan Research principal analyst Christina Anthogalidis. “Use of these devices at the point-of-care to educate patients and manage records is also promising at this stage.”



While doctors used their iPads primarily for online referencing, reading online medical journals and watching videos, some are leveraging their iPads to manage and educate their patients.



The Taking the Pulse Europe study found that iPad ownership was highest in the U.K. with 31 percent, followed by a Germany and France tie at 28 percent and Italy and Spain with 21 percent and 20 percent, respectively.



Of those doctors who did not yet have the Apple tablet, 40 percent said they expected to buy one within six months.



The iPad-as-medical-tool argument has been picking up steam as of late, and an increasing amount of physicians are using apps designed by companies in the healthcare industry to perform a number of procedures including pharmaceutical calculations, radiology diagnoses and general referencing. Pharmaceutical firms like AstraZeneca, Janssen and Vertex already have iPad-compatible apps that enable medical professionals to transform the device into a portable diagnosis and calculation tool.





Psoriasis app by Janssen. | Source: Creative Lynx, Ltd.







In early 2011, a radiology iOS app was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to give mobile diagnoses.



Most recently, AppleInsider reported on the possible benefits a Retina Display-sporting next generation iPad could bring to the medical field.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    According to US commercials you need 4 out of 5 doctors to agree before it's acceptable.
  • Reply 2 of 17
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    The real winner in this story is Purell. I predict sales through the roof.
  • Reply 3 of 17
    This article makes absolutely no sense to me. I was told the iPad is a toy. I can't believe doctors would use toys for work. Something is fishy here.
  • Reply 4 of 17
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Do they have to pay a specialist to advise them which one?
  • Reply 5 of 17
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    Over one quarter of European doctors use an iPad at work





    Really poor journalism here: there is a huge difference between saying that one out of four doctors in Europe use an iPad, and saying that of those who own them, one in four uses them for their work...
  • Reply 6 of 17
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    If I ever went to visit a doctor and they came out to see me holding an Android tablet in their hands, I would immediately bolt for the front door, never to return. Anybody who values their health and well being would surely agree with that.
  • Reply 7 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post


    Over one quarter of European doctors use an iPad at work





    Really poor journalism here: there is a huge difference between saying that one out of four doctors in Europe use an iPad, and saying that of those who own them, one in four uses them for their work...



    Yes, Good point.



    But 40% of doctors who do not yet own an iPad intend to buy one within the next 6 months. Huge sales opportunity!
  • Reply 8 of 17
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    The actual company press release refers to something called an 'online European Physician' whatever that means. The press release does not in any way that I can see, maintain that their sample is representative of all European physicians. I would say it is only representative of their participating sample.



    http://manhattanresearch.com/News-an...ofessional-use



    This AI article is not worth the paper it is printed on.
  • Reply 9 of 17
    I just sent this to my daughter! Doing her surgery rotation, 3rd yr med school!



    Got her mother's brains!



    Edit: sorry for bragging!
  • Reply 10 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post


    I just sent this to my daughter! Doing her surgery rotation, 3rd yr med school!



    Got her mother's brains!



    Edit: sorry for bragging!



    Great..now the'll be playing "Crazy Birds" during surgery rotation!

    Hey didn't they say "An Apple a day keeps the doctor away"
  • Reply 11 of 17
    enzosenzos Posts: 344member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post


    I just sent this to my daughter! Doing her surgery rotation, 3rd yr med school!



    Got her mother's brains!



    Edit: sorry for bragging!



    Why not? Reflected glory shines brightly as well. And you obviously did the groundwork - the hard slog - to deserve it.



    Cheers



    WiFi-connected iPads are a natural tool for the doctor's surgery and hospital. Laptops are not and will fade into the corners with time. And phones are too small for things to shown to patients on.
  • Reply 12 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    If I ever went to visit a doctor and they came out to see me holding an Android tablet in their hands, I would immediately bolt for the front door, never to return. Anybody who values their health and well being would surely agree with that.



    If you don't want people to know that you're receiving medical treatment... Perhaps you shouldn't be sick!
  • Reply 13 of 17
    I wonder what the USA doctor percentage might be. Apple really grabbed the AMA by the short and curlies when they yanked the Newton from the market after Apple assured them a supply. Oh well that was 20-some years ago. That's a century in the tech world.
  • Reply 14 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post


    Over one quarter of European doctors use an iPad at work





    Really poor journalism here: there is a huge difference between saying that one out of four doctors in Europe use an iPad, and saying that of those who own them, one in four uses them for their work...



    Actually, what the article said was, "Ownership of the devices among doctors was highest in the UK (31 per cent), followed by Germany and France (both 28 per cent), Italy (21 per cent) and then Spain (20 per cent)."



    So it apparently doesn't say what you think it says.
  • Reply 15 of 17
    sipsip Posts: 210member
    First of all, U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Italy are far from being all of Europe...



    UK general practitioners all have WinPCs on their desks and can access information locally, and from other National Health Service (NHS) systems. My GP can access the results of run-of-the-mill blood tests carried out by the local NHS hospitals, but they can't access results for tests for hepatitis and other more serious communicable diseases nor can they access results for ultrasound scans; these are sent by fax or, more usually, 2nd-class snail mail.



    iOS apps compatible with the UK's NHS systems don't exist (to the best of my knowledge). MRI scans can be viewed on iPads as long as the MRI facility has uploaded scan files to the MRI manufacturers central database and the GP subscribes to that service.



    I have obtained copies of all my MRI scans from two different facilities: the first one provided me with film and CD-Rom, the other one only supplied a CD-Rom and refused to supply films -- the GP got nothing, and I had to provide copies even though he had to sign all referral forms which clearly stated that reports and scans would only be sent to the requesting physician. I have used OsiriX on both the Mac & iPad, but neither can show the detailed views that the proprietary viewer (supplied on the CD-Roms) can display using WinPC.



    I would suspect that UK-based medics are more than likely simply using iPads to access information on the internet -- wikipedia and medicine-specific websites -- if I'm correct in my assumption, we are all royally screwed.
  • Reply 16 of 17
    drdoppiodrdoppio Posts: 1,132member
    Does my 5'' phone count as one quarter of an iPad?
  • Reply 17 of 17
    chiachia Posts: 713member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sip View Post


    First of all, U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Italy are far from being all of Europe...



    They're not all of Europe but at over 60% of the EU's population, those five countries comprise the majority of the 27 nation EU.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sip View Post


    UK general practitioners all have WinPCs on their desks and can access information locally, and from other National Health Service (NHS) systems. My GP can access the results of run-of-the-mill blood tests carried out by the local NHS hospitals, but they can't access results for tests for hepatitis and other more serious communicable diseases nor can they access results for ultrasound scans; these are sent by fax or, more usually, 2nd-class snail mail.

    ...

    iOS apps compatible with the UK's NHS systems don't exist (to the best of my knowledge).

    ...

    I would suspect that UK-based medics are more than likely simply using iPads to access information on the internet -- wikipedia and medicine-specific websites -- if I'm correct in my assumption, we are all royally screwed.



    I think it's a reflection of a lack of joined-up thinking in our current NHS.

    There are many systems in use within the NHS that are incompatible with each other, it's not an issue specific to iOS.

    Equally there are areas where iOS devices integrate into the ICT system.



    There are iOS apps that have been written by UK doctors to help them with their work.

    There are quite a few medical/healthcare apps on the app store, it's just a question of knowing where to look.



    The use of open standards for the web has made it very easy for healthcare professionals to access and share specific, expert information, irrespective of which device they use. It saves so much time reading the latest journal articles on your device rather than waiting for the paper subscription or dashing to the library.



    I assure you, there are far more expert sites for medicine and healthcare than wikipedia!
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