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document. Others upload the recording to a cloud storage base, which
can then be accessed by an outside service or in-house staff to do the
transcription. Some apps also connect to EMR software, so the tran-
scriptions can go directly into a patient's medical record.
Most popular dictation services are now offering these apps. If
you're tempted to just use a free recording app found online, you may
want to think again, experts say. You'll miss out on the cool features
and may risk patients' privacy.
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Patient monitoring
Even standard things like tracking vital signs are changing to
work with mobile devices. Several new apps on the market let
doctors live-stream a patient's vitals, letting them be seen in multiple
locations at once. This can be especially helpful for anesthesia providers,
who may be watching over a couple of cases at one time, experts say.
"I can use my tablet to cover multiple ORs, since I'm an anesthesiol-
ogist," says Dr. Seiden. "By using an app, I can see the monitors that
are showing the vitals of the patients even if I'm in a different room."
The monitoring software works by taking real-time patient data from
the monitoring station and letting it be accessed remotely through an
app on a phone or tablet, says Dr. Misra. Most software also provides
access to patients' medical histories and allows staff to send messages
within the app. These apps require up-front costs, including contracting
with the service and purchasing any necessary equipment, but one
study has suggested that these services can improve patient safety (see
"Benefits of Live-Streaming Vitals onto Eyewear" on page 36). OSM
E-mail
k g a pinsk i@outpatientsurg ery.net
.
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