Should medical professionals get an iPhone, Blackberry, or Android phone? It’s complicated.

by Iltifat Husain
on 06/01/10

Lately, I’ve often been asked the question, “What type of smartphone should I get?” by my medical peers.  I’ve been asked this by physicians, residents, medical students, and others. Many of my friends are entering residency and plan on upgrading to a smart phone, while others already entrenched in residency have phone contracts finishing up.

The answer to this question is not easy. Rather, as Facebook nomenclature would demand, “it’s complicated”. From the title you can see I’ve excluded the Palm platform and Windows mobile phones. Palm is currently restructuring since being bought by HP, and Microsoft is in the process of rebooting their mobile division – so both currently do not possess vibrant ecosystems for app development – and won’t be included in this discussion.

How you use your mobile phone is key in choosing the right smart phone, and obviously, not all medical professionals use their phone in the same way. I’ll break down a few different scenarios, and hopefully this analysis will help you make a more informed decision about the right mobile platform for you.

Do you need a smart phone?

First off, you have to decide if you will actually use a smart phone. If you need to check your e-mail at multiple times throughout the day, or feel a mobile reference tool in the palm of your hand is something that would improve your workflow, then you should seriously consider getting a smart phone. However, if you find smart phones cumbersome, too complicated, and don’t ever feel the need to use mobile reference devices such as PDAs, then you probably don’t need a smart phone.

If all you plan on doing with your phone is making calls, then getting a smart phone will only complicate your work flow. To make a phone call on an iPhone can take up to 3 or more gestures – a waste of time for those who don’t plan on using all the other features the iPhone affords.

What is your contract situation?

When it comes to my medical peers, this can often times be the sticking point when making a decision about the right smart phone. Currently, the iPhone OS platform is only available for AT&T, so if you’re on a Verizon family plan or can’t switch carriers, the best option for you is an Android phone or a Blackberry.

You should also be cognizant of the increasing chatter about Verizon getting its hands on the iPhone. Engadget, and several other tech sites have been reporting this could possibly be announced when Steve Jobs announces the iPhone 4G in the coming weeks – but these rumors are not a new thing – and most likely are wishful thinking.

Do you use your phone in a rural settings – and how important is a dedicated internet connection?

It’s no secret Verizon has been bashing AT&T for the quality of it’s wireless service. AT&T has 3G service in cities, but the service can literally come to a standstill at peak hours. I’ve experienced this in New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco, New Orleans, and Las Vegas. In mid-sized cities, I’ve actually had a pretty good experience with AT&T’s 3G connection.

In those big cities I mentioned, my peers who have Verizon service almost all had a good 3G experience, unlike my own. Recently, I undertook a long road trip, and realized the 3G coverage maps of AT&T’s service that Verizon so aptly pokes fun at in commercials are true. As soon as you leave a city, AT&T’s 3G service drops off and you get the dreaded “EDGE” connection – a significantly slower internet experience. My peers with Verizon phones usually did not suffer the same fate.

This is important if your healthcare work requires you to visit remote clinics and a dedicated Wi-Fi connection is not available. You don’t want to be stuck in a remote clinic with shoddy service. Granted, most mobile medical reference apps are native to your phone and don’t require an internet connection – but if you don’t have good service, looking up key information via the web is going to be a exercise in patience.

Also, many electronic health records can be accessed via the web, and if you health care network has mobile access to these records, having a mobile phone with a strong internet access is essential.

So if you need a phone with a strong internet connection in rural settings, stick to your Verizon service, and consider an Android or Blackberry phone.  Android phones have a superior browser in relation to the Blackberry, so if you need to use the browser to access patient data via portals, go with an Android phone.

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Comments:

  • Egross
    Thanks, great article. Do you have a list of good medical web apps?
  • Iltifat Husain
    Egross, we don't have a list yet of good medical web apps, but thats something we are definitely planning on working on in the future. Also, since you are planning on getting a Palm check out the website www.palmdoc.net - its a great resource for those with a palm phone - and its done by a doc
  • Egross
    I'm not sure if most physicians who read your comments are in my category or not. I am over 20 years out of med school, began w/ the Sharp Wizard in the 80's and progressed thru all the Palm products and want to stay w/ Palm. I don't need all the bells and whistles (apps). I need a reliable smart phone w/ easy net access, e-mail, etc. that allows me a great network here in NJ which AT&T doesn't. That rules out the iPhone. The great new Android seems to freeze a lot on the people I've spoken to and seems to have a lot of kinks they need to work out. The Blackberry has a lot of what I want but so does the Palm Pre Plus. I played w/ them all in both a store and whenever I see someone w/ them. I like the feel of the Palm. I have 20 years of stored info that I would like to seemlessly transfer to a new Palm. I recently played w/ the Android Incredible, i phone and the Palm Pre Plus and just love the feel and look of the Palm.
    So now to my question. What do you think of the Palm Pre Plus. Wouldn't you expect HP to take this good product and build upon it? I don't need a lot of apps and doesn't the web connectivity make a lot of the apps I use immediately available anyway?
    Thanks, EGross
  • Iltifat Husain
    I think the palm pre plus is a great device. You really have to strike that
    balance between reception, and ability to use native applications on your
    device. The only thing with Palm is, since they have been bought out by HP,
    how their app store is going to fair is still questionable - but i'm 90%
    sure they will come out on the better side because of the acquisition.

    At the end of the day, I'd also tell you to consider the iPhone 4, the
    newest iPhone. They are using a new antenna technology, that is supposed to
    increase reception in this phone - but I wouldn't hold my breath. The nice
    thing with ATT is they will at least let you return the device if you don't
    like it within the first week or so (You'll have to check up on the exact
    return policy).

    The iPhone has by far the most vibrant app community - and many of the new
    technologies for medical professionals first start with the iPhone because
    developers want to reach the largest crowd first. But at the same time, if
    you're not going to use apps that much, than the Palm platform is great.
    The hardware on their phone is secondary to the new Android and iPhone
    devices though, but if you're not a power user, it shouldn't be a concern.
  • Egross
    Thanks. One question I still have is what are the main sites accessible thru the net that the Palm Pre Plus would then be as good as any? Google maps is essentially navigation plus Fandango and many others for non-medical uses are great. Epocrates works w/ Palm well uploaded but what about some net sites that function as medical apps?
  • Iltifat Husain
    Webapps will work just fine with the Palm OS web browser. We have an
    article below that discusses this some more.

    http://www.imedicalapps.com/2010/05/mobile-medical-apps-technolog/
  • Becky
    This is such a great post. I have been debating on which smart phone to get now that I am done with medical school, and this post could not have said it any better. I completely agree with Wayne. Thanks so much!
  • Iltifat Husain
    Your welcome Becky - glad we could be of help
  • Wayne L
    This is a fantastic post and an invaluable resource. As a new medical school graduate and a longtime Palm PDA user, I am looking to upgrade to a smartphone and have been weighing the Android vs. iPhone question for the last few months. The above post has affirmed my own analysis of the topic. While I think Android is a fantastic platform overall and in fact bests iPhone in many areas, iPhone is currently still the reigning king in regards to medical apps, and therefore has the most utility for those looking for native medical app resources on their device. Thank you for your insightful analysis. I am looking forward to seeing what Apple will be announcing next week in addition to what we already know about the next-gen iPhone.

    Wayne L
  • Iltifat Husain
    Thanks for the kind words Wayne! The goal was to offer an insiders guide to medical professionals who are choosing between smart phones and I'm glad you found it useful.

    I'm also looking forward to see what the upcoming Apple announcement will reveal. All the tech aside, my biggest hope is they open up the platform to Verizon - but that is probably just a pipe dream.
  • Isn't it really Verizon's decision as to whether to let the iPhone on their network?

    Verizon uses CDMA, an end-of-the-road standard that will soon be replaced with LTE (which is closer to ATT's GSM network). The iPhone will not work on Verizon's network.

    Reportedly, Apple went to Verizon before going to ATT when the iPhone came out. Verizon wouldn't deal so Apple went with ATT.
  • Iltifat Husain
    Yea, I heard about Verizon being approach by Apple initially. I would think the CDMA hurdle wouldn't be the linchpin though - the Droid works great on Verizon, etc. Verizon has more subscribers than Apple, and for them to not partner up in the future to make more money seems almost "anti-capitalistic" to me.

    I think who's responsible for the lack of a partnership is still left up to debate...
  • Wayne, If you are attending OHSU medical grad school as I am, beware of one thing. There online system to do almost everything has a big warning "if you are thinking about an iPad for school it is not compatible with our SAKAI system" This is my problem with Apple, you have to give me the tools I need. I hate Flash but I need it. FYI, I am typing on my Macbook pro, the best tool for the job.

    Jeff
  • SAKAI is based on JAVA not FLASH and probably will not work on the iPhone because JAVA typically requires that a JAVA applet be downloaded.

    Webkit, the basis for the iPad/iPhone Safari browser, along with the browser on Android, PalmPre, Google Chrome, Nokia S60, Symbian, etc. Expect most if not all major websites to eventually support Webkit.
  • Iltifat Husain
    Yep, and the new blackberry OS will finally be supporting Webkit...
  • Iltifat Husain
    Jeff, I agree with the flash assessment. The option really should be left to the end user if they want to use it or not. True, Flash will slow down your phone, drain your battery life, crash applications that you're running, but at the end of the day, the decision to have those events happen should be decided by the end user.

    But the business side of me completely understands why Apple would want to keep a closed system so their users would not suffer the above issues. Even in Androids latest iteration and announcement, while Flash support is present, tech sites such as Engadget who got a sneak peak at flash on the OS reported subpar experiences.
  • I think Steve Job's explanation of why iPhone/iPad is not supporting Flash is logical and clear and should be read before believing all the FUD being spread around by various blog 'pundits'.

    Apple has good reason not to support Flash (and personally, I don't miss the Flash ads and various slow downs.

    In my experience, Apple is usually ahead of the curve on various standards (remember the floppy?)

    http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/
  • Iltifat Husain
    Yea, at the end of the day, it's about controlling the user experience. Apple has a right to control the user experience how they see fit on their device, but those who don't agree with Apple's idea of a "user experience" have legitimate arguments. But their idea of a "user experience" has obviously been successful....
  • Fragmentation, You are correct that there are some issues with fragmentation but if the developer of the app does there work correctly this should not happen. iPhone is about to experience the same problem with their 4.0 OS release, that is older version of apps may not work. The same thing happens with all computers, Apple or MS. Manufactures must deprecate system if they are to move forward.

    As for the difference in iPhone and others such as Android and Blackberry. It depends on the person and their needs. The one button iPhone solution is great for some an hated by others. Android currently is a more powerful tool but it is not quite as simple to use. The driver of a VW may not enjoy a Porsche GT3

    Jeff Brandt
    www.hieconnect.net
  • There are NO problems with Apps working with the new iPhone software (version 4.0). Fragmentation is a non-issue.
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