How Are You Using the iPad in Healthcare, Hospital or Pharmaceutical Marketing? Game-Changer or Curious Gadget?

By Stewart Gandolf, Chief Executive Officer

Healthcare seems to be one of the early early-adopter industries for Apple’s popular tablet, trailing the financial services and technology sectors of business.

The iPad is still less than a year old and there is no doubt that it’s been a hit in the marketplace. Apple-watchers predict the company will ship 7 to 10 million iPads this year, and perhaps four times that number next year. (I hear there are brands other than Apple, but with over 90 percent of the tablet market, few others spring to mind.)

We’ve seen various predictions about how the iPad will be a game changer, driven by the unique product appeal and the growing adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMR). No surprise, “there’s an app for that.” Way back in April (ancient history in technology), the iPad was envisioned as a possible game changer in medical education and in patient-clinician communications. Barely seven months later – perhaps too soon to know the score – medical education has a few points, but patient-clinician communications…not so much.

If you’re using the iPad in healthcare, medical, hospital or pharma marketing, we’d like to share your experience with our readers. Good or bad, let us know how the iPad is working out for you? As fuel for thought, Reed Smith, Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media advisory board member, posted 10 Reasons Why Every Hospital Needs an iPad, including physician relations, patient education, and event marketing. Many of the ideas could transfer to physician offices, medical clinics and pharmaceutical sales.

Anecdotal reports point to iPads in use in pharmacy, emergency, dietary, home health, hospice; and uses by hospital and private physicians, nursing supervisors, and staff.

We’re looking for a few good stories – hopefully success stories – about using the iPad in support of healthcare marketing. Post your comments here. And for more about healthcare marketing, pharmaceutical SEO, and social media, visit our website.