The healthcare industry is rapidly evolving; at the same time the cost of many smartphones and tablets is poised to dramatically decrease. Case in point: the purchase of Nokia by Microsoft with a plan to develop very powerful and inexpensive devices. In the next 12 to 18 months, we’re going to see a huge increase in tablet and smartphone utilization because of price reductions.

The changes in the mobile technology market are going to span industries, including healthcare. The industry is increasingly mobile, and getting the data to physicians anytime, anywhere is critical. The commoditization of the smartphone and tablet market means that hospitals and health systems have lower cost options to provide hospitalists – who account for a large portion of the physician staff and hospital admissions – with the devices they need to provide care across the continuum. In addition, the “bring your own device” trend is here to stay, especially as the cost of tablets and smartphones declines.

The Microsoft vision for the future of healthcare across the care continuum is why AirStrip is touting our partnership at Health 2.0 this week, where the industry is looking for what’s next in health IT. Microsoft is committed to implementing the same user experience throughout multiple form factors – including both devices and desktops. They are working to make sure that the same look and feel are seamlessly available on mobile devices as well as touch screen desktops.

More and more we’re seeing physicians demand clinical solutions on their personal Microsoft devices – a need that must be met to continue to improve the adoption of mobility for improved care and reduced costs.

However, physicians spend 70 percent of their time on a desktop at their homes, offices and hospitals. We need to have the same native applications on those desktops as we do on their mobile devices. Microsoft is installing large touch screens in physicians’ lounges to accommodate care coordination – what’s called an all-in-one station. We’re seeing physicians interact with Windows 8.1 solutions on these all-in-one stations, and they’re demanding the same capabilities for when they need to make a diagnosis from home or wherever they are. This week’s announcement of AirStrip ONE Cardiology for Windows 8.1 is the latest phase in an ongoing partnership that will continue to strengthen because of our close alignment with the Microsoft vision.