Health Care IT: Rugged Mobile Devices Aid Public Safety Personnel, Field Service Workers

In the line of duty, first responders rely on rugged mobile devices from companies such as DLI and Juniper Systems to collect data at the scene of emergencies and relay health data to a hospital ahead of patient arrival. Some of the latest models, like the DLI 9000 Rugged Mobile Tablet, include payment modules so that patients can take care of copayments at their bedsides. Many units like the Juniper Mesa Rugged Notepad have rubberized edges so the devices can survive falls to concrete surfaces. A company called Open makes an application programming interface called SafetyPad that runs on rugged devices, such as the Panasonic ToughBook, to send vital health data from an ambulance to a hospital. As the health care industry increasingly adopts mobile devices to track patient vital signs and keep first-responder vehicles and medical facilities connected, eWEEK takes a look at the latest products that are durable enough to withstand the harsh working environments at the scene of a wildfire, flood or accident.