Tablet boom coming to healthcare industry

The impact of the tablet computer has already been felt in several industries, and according to a CNNMoney report, healthcare appears to be next on the list.

Tablets can provide numerous benefits to doctors, nurses, administrators and even patients, the news provider states. Lightweight and lacking a keyboard, the tablet is a convenient tool for care providers to carry from patient to patient, providing easy access to information about procedures, medication and treatment costs.

The tablet also ensures that a medical provider does not need to leave the room to pull up test results and other data, CNN notes, as information can be accessed on the mobile device rather than on a desktop computer located in another area.

"The devices can connect wirelessly into a hospital's electronics patient record system and a doctor can use a tablet to review a set of patient test results," the report states. "Radiologists can read films from their tablets from virtually anywhere. Doctors can show patients exactly what the test or diagnosis or X-ray reveals in real time."

According to a 2011 NPR report, only 1 percent of hospitals have "fully functional" tablet deployments in place. As the technology continues to demonstrate its immense benefits in this space, however, adoption is poised to grow rapidly.