JiffPad, a free app by Jiff Inc., allows the healhcare provider to records a slide presentation right on the iPad, along with narration, and email it to a patient when it is complete.
As the user, you are presented with a bank of illustrations (from A.D.A.M.) to load in as slides. These slides exist online, but you can also download them onto your iPad. You add slides to a deck and when you are ready you record. The mic on the iPad records your voice as you explain what is on screen. The draw tool allows you to circle, draw arrows, and otherwise notate various structures. You can pause the recording anytime to gather your thoughts, and start again when you are ready. The illustrations are not beautiful, but they are generally accurate and cover many common subjects that might be discussed with a patient.
One nice feature is the ability to insert slides from your own photo gallery. If you have your own drawings or photos, or if you have purchased a medical illustration from another vendor, you can load it in from here. This expands the scope of the library that you are initially presented with.
Jiff Inc describes JiffPad as HIPAA compliant, and the two logins necessary to access the app attest to this. It seems that when you email the talk, it is uploaded to Jiff servers and then sent to the intended email address.
The tools on JiffPad are very limited. On the home screen, there is a "Menu" button that allows you to customize the pen tool, your profile, and to download the catalogue of images onto your iPad. It would be great if you were given the option of customizing the pen tool during the creation of the JiffTalk. Perhaps the biggest oversight is the lack of an "undo" button. Errant marks are permanent, which can be very confusing for the patient. Once a page is added to a Jiff Talk, you cannot remove it. Also, there is no tool to type with, so when you want to write on a page, you have to use the clunky pen tool.
JiffPad is a smart concept with a lot of potential. Its execution is incomplete and, at times, frustrating. The app is in Beta according to the website, so I look forward to seeing what features may be added in the future.
