We frequently encounter folks who ask us about remote access via mobile devices. There's an important distinction to be made here. The usage intentions, patterns, and requirements for remote access and mobile access are very different. [1]
The purpose of remote access is to work in your computing environment when you are not on location. An example of remote access would be accessing hospital information systems and applications via a PC or laptop from your office or home. Often, remote solutions involve a VPN connection, a Windows desktop and/or web browser, and perhaps a remote license to allow the user to interact with the applications they are accessing. Mobile access is a different animal. Mobile users want to do specific tasks - check a lab value, view a waveform, see a medication list, check allergy status - while on the go. Providers want the data transformed into accessible, meaningful chunks, they don't want to have to navigate the entire medical record from their Droid in order to make a time sensitive decision. See table 1.
Some organizations have considered using Citrix to provide interpreted or emulated application access or a pdf view of EHR data and clinical information systems via a mobile device. That's like reading the New York Times on your smartphone using the internet browser. You can do it, but it doesn’t really work. Use the native application provided by the publisher. Native applications are built to run on a specific device and operating system.
We also do not recommend accessing any patient monitoring data via a non-native solution, because visual distortion is almost certain when things like medical aspect ratios cannot be controlled. Further, be advised that the FDA is mandated to regulate medical devices, including mHealth applications on cell phones and associated products. [2], [3]
We know that the reasons for and usage of remote and mobile access differ. We have learned that patient safety and provider efficiency are paramount in mobile application delivery. To optimize your provider access strategy, both approaches must be accommodated.
References
[1] Madden, B. 2010. Remote desktop access vs. mobile access: What’s the Difference? http://searchvirtualdesktop.techtarget.com/feature/Remote-desktop-access-vs-mobile-access-Whats-the-difference.
[2] Thompson, B., Kendall, L. 2009. How to Get FDA to Clear a Mobile Health App. http://www.ebglaw.com/showarticle.aspx?Show=12184
[3] Kumar, R. 2010. The FDA’s Regulation of Mobile Technology as Medical Devices. http://www.law.uh.edu/healthlaw/perspectives/2010/kumar-fdamobile.pdf.
Dr. Powell, thanks for this well-written blog post. While there is some overlap, I agree that there is a distinction between the two concepts and that the table provides a useful framework for distinguishing between them.
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