Monday, July 13, 2009

In Case you thought iPhone was just for kids, think again.

Top 5 Medical Apps for iPhone - ABC News:
"Medical apps make up a little more than one percent of all apps, but the downloadable medical apps are becoming so useful to doctors that the Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., now requires all of its students to carry an iPhone or iTouch."

13 comments:

  1. Would this not cause a distraction during work hours or school hours?

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  2. It's like anything else. It depends what you use it for. Take the click at the title and see if it gives you the story as to why they want the docs to have iPhones or iPods.

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  3. They want them to have it because some bought applications from apple can be useful especially in the E.R. where these handheld devices have medical information and applications for use. At the same time the iTouch or iPhone also has music games and videos on it. Would this not cause a distraction in the worspace?

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  4. One of the most important thing a doctor or any professional learns is how not to be distracted.
    In the world of communication theory, that applies both to computers and people, is the ratio between signal and noise. Every communication channel has noise. In the case of people that's usually conversation. When people learn how to write well they can communicate with words.

    The more skill you have using the words, the easier it is to get the signal through the noise.

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  5. True but it is just another "thing" that could threaten a persons life. As you said: No one is perfect.

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  6. If the world were perfect, no one would ever have to be worried. Since it isn't and never will be, it means there will always be distractions. It's like driving a car. As long as you can keep your eye on the road and your hands on the wheel, you can manage distractions.

    But no matter what you do, you can't eliminate distractions.

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  7. True. But in a working environment, especially a hospital where itouch's and iphone's are available (which by the way are both objects mainly devised for entertainment) and peoples lives are at steak why introduce yet another distraction than there already is? In the past doctors have been fine with what they are given why introduce another thing that makes situations more convenient. If objects keep enhancing soon doctors will not have to do anything and the mentality of saving peoples lives would be brought down to a second priority because "the machine will keep them alive" or "I'll do that later the machine is taking care of that." this is just another unnecessary object brought into the working place that could cause distraction and lead to more deaths

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  8. What I think you are missing is that the more information a doctor can get and the faster they can get it when they want it, the better decisions they can make.

    The problem is that medicine doesn't yet have exact cures for conditions. Every drug creates unanticipated consequences. Different people can react very differently to the same drugs or treatment.

    Yes the iPhone was invented to for entertainment. So was TV. Meanwhile an awesome way to learn about the world is by watching great tv or great theatre. So entertainment and learning actually have lots of things in common.

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  9. Correct it is convenient but not NEEDED. Also, if it was possible would doctors be able to carry around portable t.v.'s in their pocket? no. the iphone is a clear distraction that could get in the way of a patient. Before this new product Doctors were doing fine and are way past the point of sufficient.

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  10. On the other hand . .
    lets say doctors and medical schools want to make health care better and better and better. So what's needed now doesn't mean it wouldn't be nice to have in the future. Given how fast science is discovering new things, there is very little doubt that medicine in the future is going to be very different from medicine in the past.

    Meanwhile, the new iPhone actually are portable tv. Youtube in your pocket delivered through the internet.

    So suppose the video of the latest medical advance conference went to the doctor's tiv in the pocket so he could watch it while he was on a break.

    I think that you have to admit that would be pretty cool.

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  11. Very true. I agree that it would be a huge advancement in the medical world towards making things more convenient per say. At the same time i still have no doubt in my mind that this invention will cause distractions.


    i have to admit it is pretty cool though.

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