Cloud
computing has invaded the business world in dramatic fashion during the last
ten years. What is cloud computing? Cloud computing is “a type of Internet-based computing, where different services — such as servers, storage and applications —are delivered to an organization's computers and devices through the
Internet” (webopedia.com, n.d.). More and more corporations
are using the cloud to enhance the user experience and facilitate company-wide,
real-time processing. Healthcare organizations, until recently, have been
relatively slow to take advantage of the cloud. IBM Watson has developed a
powerful application, GenieMD, that uses the cloud to help patients and family
caregivers to manage their health in a revolutionary manner.
GenieMD
claims the “world’s most powerful personal healthcare assistant” by tacking,
storing, and sharing your health profile in an easy-to-use cell phone app.
GenieMD is free to download and exhibits the following exciting features:
medication management and adherence, personal health history, healthcare
provider directories, exercise routine tracker, disease and condition manager,
symptom checker, daily healthy “to do” lists, and emergency contact lists.
GenieMD is just one example of the healthcare field using the power of the
cloud to place the patient at the center of treatment. The main screen on
GenieMD has the patient’s picture in the middle of a circle of links to
specific healthcare providers used by that patient. For example, the patient
could be encircled by links including: a pharmacist, a primary care physician,
a case manager, home-care nurse, an emergency contact, a social worker, and a
spouse or family member. This is where the field of Dentistry needs to play a
role.
A
general dentist and other necessary dental specialists should be included in
the patient’s circle of healthcare providers on GenieMD. Another option that
Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health have explored is to develop a
separate platform that interacts with GenieMD. This separate platform is called
GenieMD Oral Health, and it’s also currently available for download in the apple
store for free. Using the cloud for interdisciplinary collaboration is the
future of dentistry and medicine. Placing the patient at the center of dental
and medical treatment by using real time information to enhance their health
experience has some exciting possibilities! We have an amazing opportunity to
be pioneers in this new age of practitioner and patient communication through
the cloud. Feel free to try out GenieMD (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/geniemd/id544369883?mt=8)
and GenieMD Oral Health in the apple store!
What
do you think about the role of the cloud in dentistry?
Webopedia.com
(n.d.). Cloud computing (the cloud). Retrieved from http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/cloud_computing.html
GenieMD
(n.d.). The world’s most powerful personal healthcare assistant. Retrieved from
http://www.geniemd.com/app-overview.shtml