In my opinion, tablets will always be inferior in the exam room to a desk top computer and large screen as long as we have to record the visit in text. Tablets are only good for the ability to carry them from room to room (saves money) and take them out of your office, such as the hospital.
Since the exam room is a controlled environment, basically your production center if you were a factory, I think you need to make yourself as efficient as possible. Tablets are only good for handling chaos.
Tablets are inferior in the exam room because you have to hold them so you are looking down and using both arms throughout the visit, so the patient gets about 20% of your eye time, the data entry is much much slower, and the screen size is much smaller. That might work great with your patients that want to play on their tablets or phones during the visit, instead of looking at you.
Tablets will work great when all you need is to use them to look up data, the patient visits are AV recorded, and the computer discerns the granular data needed. Of course, doctors if they are even needed will probably be using google glass, or the walls will project the data by then.
Oh, and they drop and can get stolen.
I like a laptop cart, with a 24" monitor bolted on, that I can pull out so that the patient's face is in my line of sight just above and to the side of the monitor so I can look back and forth easily. I can type while looking at the patient. Try that on a tablet.
I suppose a hybrid system with a docking station for the tablet, monitor, keyboard and mouse in each room could save some money if you want to lug the computer from room to room. I have my MA enter data in the room, so that wouldn't help me.
