4. Say goodbye to standards. With multiple platforms available and a plethora of devices to be had, the playing field is uneven when it comes to smartphones. That's to say nothing of the different types of devices: smartphone, tablet, somewhere in between (think iPad Mini). This cornucopia of tech presents some complicated problems for hospitals from a development side. Creating and sustaining a workflow that accommodates most devices can not rely on too much standardization from one device to another. "In the communications realm it's much more complicated... their standardization goes beyond UI," says Lang, who cautions that the differences between Android and iOS run deeper than just the layout of an app or the home screen design. "You have to deal with the acoustics of the device. What's the roaming capability. With a realtime app like voice, voice communications require continuous realtime connectivity." 

5. Workflow, workflow, workflow. While mobile devices are seen as both a godsend and an albatross around the neck, few would deny that they're here to stay in the clinical environment. If an organization decides to go the BYOD route and allow people to bring their own mobile gadgets to do work on, Lang says that the workflow around them needs to accommodate as much as possible. "Create a workflow that is independent of the device," he says, stressing that staying platform agnostic is the smartest and most robust thing to do when developing a mobile device strategy. By keeping a set of procedures based around the methods of work, and not the devices that do them, an organization can partially ensure that almost every device will be able to share in the fun.