Medical Applications for Smartphones

Physicians oftentimes use their mobile phones for accessing the Web for medical-related information while on the go, when they do not have a computer readily available, or when they need faster, albeit concise, reference info. The purpose of this article to compare the currently available applications for mobile phones in the global market, which are deemed useful and practical for medical field applications. Thus, mobile healthcare comes into the picture. How important is mobile healthcare to the medical devices industry? Are smartphones and personal digital assistants really considered medical devices? Which smartphone app is most preferred? These questions may not be necessarily answered here, but for now we give you a comparison of the three most popular applications being used by physicians and medical staff as of date.

Epocrates


Web site: www.epocrates.com

Compatibility: iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, Palm, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and Android

Price: Free (Epocrates Rx) and Premium (Epocrates Essentials)

Requirements: iPhone/iPod touch/iPad with OS 3.0 or above; Palm or Sony with Palm OS v5.0 or higher; Windows Mobile/ Pocket PC with Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, 6.x or Microsoft Pocket PC 2003, 2003 SE; BlackBerry OS 4.1 and above; Android device with v1.6 or higher

Epocrates is a mobile drug reference resource used by healthcare providers at the point of care. Trusted for accurate content and innovative offerings, physicians choose Epocrates 3 to 1 as their point-of-care drug reference of choice. Clinicians turn to Epocrates numerous times throughout the day to make more informed medical decisions and report that using Epocrates helps them avoid making medical errors, leading to improved patient safety. Epocrates also helps physicians save time; over 40% report saving 20 minutes or more a day. What sets Epocrates apart is that only Epocrates provides an integrated set of unique features such as pill identifier, formulary data, and dosing calculator that physicians require at the point of care.

Medscape


Web site: www.medscape.com

Compatibility: iPhone and Blackberry (coming soon to Android)

Price: Free

Requirements: iPhone/iPod touch/iPad with OS 3.0 or above; BlackBerry OS 4.2.1 or later for Bold, Curve, Javelin, Onyx, Storm, Storm 2, and Torch

The Medscape mobile app from WebMD is the fastest, largest, most comprehensive clinical reference application for healthcare professionals. The app includes fast and comprehensive Drug Reference; powerful Drug Interaction Checker; Disease and Condition Reference and Treatment Guide; Procedures Reference; Tables and Protocols Reference; Daily Medical News and Alerts; Continuing Medical Education activities; Physician, Pharmacy, and Hospital Directories; unlimited free access to all features; and offline access to the clinical reference (no Internet connection required). Viewing images and videos, however, requires an Internet connection.

Skyscape


Web site: www.skyscape.com

Compatibility: iPhone, Palm, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Android, and Symbian

Price: Free

Requirements: iPhone/iPod touch/iPad with OS 2.0 or above; Centro, Treo, or TX with Palm OS; Windows Mobile/Pocket PC; BlackBerry; G2, G3, G4, MyTouch, DROID, and other smartphones with Android OS; Nokia S60 Symbian

Skyscape is a highly useful collection of medical information and decision support resources for healthcare professionals. Free resources include RxDrugs, Outlines in Clinical Medicine, Archimedes, and MedAlert. These free resources useAir Max Hyperposite