We have to admit – we love our iPads. In addition to Angry Birds and Spotify, the iPad is a powerful tool in the advertising world. It allows access to sound clips, photos, presentations and our iCalendars.

But we have always been Mac-kind of people. Ad men (and women) usually are. The real question for Mac is how will it translate to the PC-using crowd. We knew something big was happening when a medical professional was seen toting an iPad and touchscreen-ing away. With a little research, turns out he is not the only one. According to a Chilmark Research report, 22% of medical professionals have adopted Apple’s tablet computer.

University of Chicago’s Internal Medicine residency program implemented an iPad iniative for its residents last year and they are sharing the lessons they learned with the health care community. Chicago’s Bhakti Patel, MD, wrote a fantastic manual showing major features of the iPad, from the basic functions to doc-specific apps. From security concerns to privacy, U of Chicago is facing technology head on and the docs seem to be winning.

The rest of the healthcare community is catching on. Just yesterday, St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network (a multi-hospital system in Pennsylvania) announced its selection of Allscripts Electronic Health Records iPad App for over 1600 employed and affiliated physicians. The system provided all 400 employed physicians with iPads and is underwriting the cost for its affiliated doctors.

More than just electronic records organizer, the iPad is now easing surgery stress for children at Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago. Resident child life specialist at the Children’s Hospital Kia Ferrer developed an interactive app that take patients through the procedure step by step. Ferrer tells Chicago Parent, “The iPad has revolutionized the way I teach because it’s more of an interactive tool. Most children love technology so they’re very attracted to this new and neat little computer that shows them the steps of their hospital experience.”

With the techno-boom in healthcare playing a larger and larger part in patient care, iPads are on the up and up. We suggest not getting left behind.