Mr. Horowitz,
I would have commented directly on your article on eWeek.com, but there is nowhere to make/read a comment. Even though it says “there are reader comments on this healthcare IT story,” there is no place on the page to read/make those comments.
As a healthcare IT professional, I found the article filled with misleading and skewed facts, that should not be present in any objective technology writing. I will enumerate for you:
1) "The Apple iPad creates the best experience within the tablet space, so right now we don't have plans on developing for the Microsoft Surface tablet," said Daniel Kivatinos, chief operating officer and co-founder of Drchrono, which offers electronic health record (EHR) and check-in applications for the iPad. This quote coming from THE ONLY maker of an iOS based EMR. What is YOUR baseline comparison?
2) "I believe Microsoft will cede the health care sector to Apple," said John Moore, an analyst at Chilmark Research. He noted the lack of native mobile apps for mobile devices running a Microsoft OS.” Apparently neither you nor, Mr. Moore understands technology is not a sprint but rather a marathon. When one considers a vast majority of the clinical EMR systems running out there are windows based, how does one come to the conclusion “Microsoft will cede the healthcare sector to Apple?” Did Microsoft cede the spreadsheet sector to Lotus 1-2-3? Did Microsoft cede the word processor sector to WordPerfect? Or the PC space to Apple? Have you ever heard of Novell Netware? These are all products/companies that dominated their sectors, where are they today?
3) “With their strong influence over IT departments in health care, doctors are likely to stick with the iPad, Moore predicted.” There is simply no factual basis for this statement. In the hospital setting, physicians and other iPad loyalists have very little influence on the integration of iPads as a computing standard. These hospitals are struggling to deal with the HIPAA implications of the BYODs in their environments.
4) It remains to be seen how EHR applications for the iPad will perform in Surface's Windows 8 environment. I would expect this statement from someone who is not familiar with any kind of technology, not from a seasoned technology writer. EHR applications written for the iPad, are written for a specific platform: iOS. They do not work on Macs they do not work on Windows, or any other operating system for that matter. Just like programs/applications written for Windows do not work on the iPad.
5) Monique Levy correctly stated: "Other devices like the Surface may gain some traction as institutions look to integrate devices with [EHRs] and other back-end systems if these devices offer enterprise advantages over the iPad." Microsoft Operating Systems by default offer enterprise advantages over the iPad.
6) "If it makes sense to iterate ourmobile app strategy to operate on Windows RT or Windows 8 Pro, then we would certainly consider it," said Ryan Howard, CEO of EHR vendor Practice Fusion, in an email. The inclusion of these quotes from PracticeFusion were intended to be misleading. I say this because, PracticeFusion is a flash based EHR, that does not run on the iPad, as the iPad does not support flash. Microsoft has said clearly that flash will be built into the Windows RT browsers.
In addition, Microsoft’s announcement yesterday that Windows Phone 8 will share the same kernel as Windows 8, means it will be possible to write drivers / applications for medical devices that can move from phone to tablet/computer. In addition, the ability for enterprise IT to remotely manage all their Windows devices from phones to tablets to computers, is compelling. That enterprise IT will be able to write and install their apps directly on to their devices WITHOUT posting them to the App store, is also compelling.
Finally what so many “tech journalists” miss, is that the Surface Pro is not, repeat is not a competitor to the iPad. It is an entirely new class of computing device, which is the natural convergence of the computer and the tablet. A device which can be connected to a 28in monitor by its HDMI cable and a USB keyboard/mouse, while also giving the user the portability and functionality of a tablet when needed.
It really doesn’t matter how slanted an a piece you write; it is obvious to me, that many of the “professional responses” to the surface is whistling past the graveyard.
I will be posting this on my blog at www.lakepiso.com/blog.