Stylus penStylus pen

Because physicians are constantly on the move, they have a reputation for resisting desktop PC-based systems in general. However, since the arrival of personal digital assistants (PDAs), doctors have rapidly adopted the technology. In fact, PDAs are used by nearly a third of all healthcare workers, according to Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

It's no surprise. After all, PDAs provide portability, while allowing up-to-the-minute access to medical data and information on hospitalized patients. Medical professionals have a quick reference for specific patient and drug information using a stylus and their PDA, but they still need a ball-point to write the prescription. And old practices such as adding information to paper charts on clipboards, and filling out patient discharge documents aren't going away anytime soon.

A low-tech, yet still very cool stylus pen does double duty, marrying modern PDA technology with traditional ways, and allowing doctors to switch from digital to paper with the click of a button.

Deb Bamford, ttools LLC, 2 Charles St., 2nd Floor Center, Providence, RI 02904-2269; Tel: (215) 545-4902; E-mail: [email protected].

For more information enter 509.

Submit your ideas and rough drawings for this section to John Lewis, Designer's Corner, Design News, 275 Washington St., Newton, MA 02458