PowerMic Mobile

This app works very well for dictation into Cerner and Meditech EMRs. Dragon dictation software has always been the best widely available software for dictation and is much better than any other dictation software I’ve ever used. With more providers working on iPads, the option to use the PowerMic software directly on the iPad offers greater flexibility, as your microphone won’t get disconnected when other apps are accessed on phone (lots of calls, pages, other notifications on phone, especially in a hospital setting). With and iPad app or a phone app with landscape mode support, the PowerMic app could be made small on an iPad, so that it doesn’t take up much of the screen (this may improve even further for M1 iPad users/recent iPad Pro users with iPadOS 16’s Stage Manager). Essentially, this tool is so useful, I want it on my screen all the time, not off my screen every time I get a text message or other notification on my phone. Alternatively, I would expect plenty of desire from providers for an Apple Watch app, as this would also be incredibly convenient. I personally don’t own an Apple Watch, so I would prefer the iPad app, but I expect an Apple Watch app would be immensely popular (mostly through the use of AirPods/other Bluetooth headphones). I also saw a video online about this app being demonstrated on a Samsung watch several years ago. Unfortunately, this never seemed to come to fruition. As a Samsung Gear S3 owner, I would love to have the option to dictate via the watch.

The app disconnects very frequently. My iPhone is tied to the Epic EMR and obviously I cannot change the settings on the phone to prevent it from locking after a few minutes (this is security related hospital driven setting) and as soon as the iPhone locks the power mic also disconnects. To go back in you again need to open the app tab and then again login and then again click the microphone on to dictate. Extremely annoying. Also if you switch between the power mic app and some other app, you have to redo the whole connection again. Makes the whole process of dictating very inefficient. Should have an always on top function which does not disconnect and with a simple voice command like “turn power mic on” or “off” to start and stop dictating. I was initially very enthusiastic about using it but it’s just clunky the way it is.

I use both Power Mic III and mobile version because I work in many different locations. Things which could be improved in mobile version: Left and right arrow buttons are too close to bottom of screen in iPhone X version and white slide bar is over them. Too frequently when trying to toggle between fields, I accidentally slide the white bar which disconnects me and then I have to reconnect in order to continue dictating. There is lots of empty white space around the dictate button: could the arrows be moved up and away from the white bar or made larger? Disconnects too easily and too frequently in the middle of dictating. Why? I use toggle to go to the next field and start dictating and it goes instead to text box. Why?