EMR App for the iPhone

In a previous blog entry, “A Gadget Kind of Day” I blogged about Sling Box finally releasing the Sling Player Mobile app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Because of my excitement to finally get a chance to watch TV on my iPod Touch, I proudly stated the blog entry had nothing do with HIT, other than possibly up selling a techno-geek physician that had to have the latest gadget. Thanks to blogger Fred Pennic of Healthcare IT Consultant Blog for his blog post on an EHR app for the iPhone.



A company in California, Caretools, have developed an award winning app, iChart, specifically designed for the iPhone and iPod Touch platforms. In addition to the charting, iChart also includes prescription, billing and lab report modules. Basically, all patient data is entered on the iPhone app, or from a web based desktop computer. Once new information is added to a patient’s record via the iPhone, the data is first stored on the iPhone and then synchronized to an iChart Web based account.

So in a nutshell, iChart is a SaaS EMR with an iPhone front-end. Therefore, the same risks identified when evaluating a SaaS EMR must be taken into consideration when evaluating this app. Also, because patient data is stored on the iPhone, in order for this app to be HIPAA compliant the dreaded iPhone password must be enabled. Honestly, do you know anyone with an iPhone that has their password enabled? However from a price standpoint, Cartetools have competitively priced the iChart app. The basic product is priced at $139.00 for the first year with an annual renewal subscription fee of $99.

Here again, for the techno-geek type provider, this app can’t miss, its way cool!! For the bread and butter type provider, a desktop anchored down in the examination room or a nice size handheld tablet is more in line.

Click here to visit Caretools' website.

Read Fred Pennic’s complete blog article here.