Computers Offer Information, Web Access
As the Cure for Waiting-Room Boredom
Tuesday, February 26, 2008    15:27 EST

New York City, N.Y.  --  For many parents-to-be the excitement
and nervousness is often difficult to contain. For Kyle Piechucki,
the wait was decidedly boring.

Piechucki, now a father of two who lives in Oyster Bay, N.Y., is no
deadbeat _ he was ecstatic over the births of each of his children but
simply grew tired of interminable waits at doctors' offices. The boredom
led Piechucki, 35, to develop a computer for those trapped in the
purgatory of the waiting room.

His thin, handheld devices join a parade of efforts aimed at turning
once-fallow minutes in the waiting room into productive time for
patients and, of course, advertisers. The touch-screen tablets rely on
wireless Internet connections to deliver basic information about medical
conditions and treatments as well as Internet access.

Advertising in doctors' offices isn't new, of course, but thanks to
technology, it's becoming increasingly targeted at individual patients.
The thinking goes that bored or curious patients will be eager for fresh
alternatives to the waiting room doldrums.

"People are frustrated with waiting. They're bored. They don't want to
pick up a stale magazine," said Piechucki, who started distributing the
computers through his company, InfoSlate, last year. InfoSlate has
placed more than 250 devices in doctors' offices in several states. By
year-end he expects to have about 800 tablets in operation and he
expects to break even by early 2009.

Companies that have had a presence in waiting rooms for years are also
homing in on individual patients. Healthy Advice Networks, a Cincinnati
company, places digital screens on waiting room walls and plans to soon
introduce digital technology to connect one-on-one with a patient. The
company says its existing screens, which air a mix of health information
and advertising, reach 100 million patients annually.

Smaller and cheaper computers are making it easier for companies to
reach individual patients. Piechucki contends patients are drawn to
InfoSlate not just because they can use the computers to complete
medical histories and questionnaires, but also to check e-mail and surf
the Internet. Doctors also can customize the devices to offer
information such as physician biographies and office policies.

"As a doctor one of the most common complaints you get is 'My time is
valuable too,'" said Scott Zimmer, director of hand and upper extremity
surgery for University Hospitals medical practices in Cleveland. He said
patients appreciate having a tool that can make them feel productive
while they wait.

The information isn't designed to give patients an instant second
opinion but to answer some basic questions. Doctors have used the
device, for example, to show expectant mothers video on proper nursing
techniques.

"I think people feel like we're trying to give them something back,"
Zimmer said. He now sits on a panel of doctors that advises Infoslate on
medical content. InfoSlate subscribes to services that provide basic
medical information. As with Healthy Advice Networks, InfoSlate doesn't
allow advertisers to have say over medical content.

Patients looking for answers appear to have the time to do some
research. InfoSlate estimates about a quarter of those waiting to see a
doctor spend more than 30 minutes; users of InfoSlate's computers spend
an average of 20 minutes using the devices.

Advertisers are always looking for fresh ways to infiltrate consumers'
minds and people who are content or engaged are more likely to be
receptive to a message, said Dennis Roche, president of Zoom Media &
Marketing in New York.

"When you're sponsoring something compelling the customer will allow you
to solicit them with something," said Roche.

While drug makers and other medical companies have long advertised in
doctors' offices, the ability to tailor ads to particular patients
brings both opportunities and risks, said James Coyle, a professor of
marketing and interactive media at Miami University's Farmer School of
Business.

Any advertiser would need to tread carefully, he said: "People are
hypersensitive about revealing anything, even if it's rather mundane."

Still, the prospect of at attentive patient waiting to see a doctor is
appealing to advertisers.

"We've become experts in avoiding the places where we know ads will
appear," Coyle said. "If there is an interactive experience that you can
participate with individually _ maybe there is more likely to be a more
genuine conversation."

Piechucki said the company's handheld units don't overwhelm users with
ads nor does the company dangle detailed private patient information
before hungry advertisers. Still, ads can relate to a topic a patient
might be researching.

"They're going to be able to target their message more effectively," he
said of advertisers. "An orthopedic office could have stuff about hip
surgery, walkers, crutches and exercise equipment."

But Piechucki said he would avoid any exploitation. After surviving
stage four thyroid cancer seven years ago he feels a kinship with those
facing cancer.

He spent long hours awaiting and undergoing treatments. Anything that
brought temporarily relief was welcome, said Piechucki.

"You brought a book and you have a TV but you know in hospital beds it's
not like they have 200 channels. It got boring," he said.

The ability to pass time during cancer treatments is its own brand of
treatment, he said, adding that he's pleased if he can offer any relief
to these patients.

"That's why I feel a very strong connection to the oncology offices
we're in. It's getting their minds off things," he said of the patients.

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