Tom Heston MD: Medical App Resources for the Android

COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL REFERENCES

ePocrates - “More than 1 million active members, including 50% of U.S. physicians, rely on Epocrates to enable better patient care by delivering the right information, right when it's needed.” - 4.3 stars (10/3/2013). Comment: This is the app I use the most. Good resource for both medications and for disease management.

UpToDate - “Find clinical answers at the point of care or anywhere you need them! Now you can access current, synthesized clinical information from UpToDate® — including evidence-based recommendations — quickly and easily on your Android phone or tablet” - 3.9 stars (10/21/2013). Comment: I use this more on my laptop due to the navigation system which is a bit cumbersome on a tablet. Highly authoritative.

Medscape - “Medscape is the leading medical resource most used by physicians, medical students, nurses and other healthcare professionals for clinical information. Our mobile app is used by over 2 million registered users. Medscape app for Android is available free.” - 4.4 stars (10/3/2013). Comment: I use this significantly less often than ePocrates. Nevertheless, it is an essential app for two reasons: a) often it has content not covered by ePocrates, and b) it provides a good 2nd opinion to the recommendations in ePocrates. Like ePocrates, it is updated frequently, and contains both a good resource for medications and for disease management. Free.

WikEM - “WikEM is a database of concise emergency medicine notes to assist physicians with their daily practice. Via wiki notes on http://www.wikem.org, WikEM features a continually available updated set of notes and checklists that allow for rapid reference of key information. WikEM is intended for clinicians only and not directly for patients. “ - 4.6 stars (10/3/2013). Comment: I use this with caution, because it is a wiki, and therefore less secure than most other apps. Nevertheless, this wiki, initially put together by the Harbor-UCLA emergency medicine residency program, is well organized and succinct. I use this on an occasional basis, but do not let it be the final word on any management issue but rather use it to help guide my investigation in other apps and resources such as ePocrates, Medscape, and Uptodate. Free.

ANTIBIOTIC REFERENCES

Johns Hopkins Antibiotic Guide - “The official Johns Hopkins ABX (Antibiotic) Guide from the Johns Hopkins Medicine features up-to-date, authoritative, evidenced-based information on the treatment of infectious diseases to help you make decisions at the point of care. This comprehensive resource organizes details into easily accessible, quick-read entries.” - 4.5 stars (10/3/2013). Comment: I use this app frequently in order to guide antibiotic therapy. Easy and quick navigation system. Highly authoritative. A good value for the money.

Sanford Guide - “The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy is the leading reference for health care professionals engaged in the treatment of infectious diseases. Subscribe for access to comprehensive, treatment-focused coverage of bacterial, fungal, mycobacterial, parasitic, viral infections, and HIV/AIDS; anti-infective drug information, prevention and useful tables and tools, including activity spectra for antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agents, and calculators to assist with dosing.” - 3.2 stars (10/21/2013).

Nelson’s Pediatric Antimicrobial Therapy - “Pediatric Antimicrobial Therapy, optimized for mobile devices. Intelligent search based on drug and condition keywords takes you to the best answer. Drug dosage tables have been reformatted with an intuitive display for smaller screens. Includes a Body Surface Area Calculator for dosing.” - 3.0 stars (10/21/2013).

CDC STD Treatment Guide - “The app is the result of collaboration between CDC's Division of STD Prevention and the Public Health Surveillance and Informatics Program Office's Informatics Research & Development Activity. The information in this mobile application is based on the CDC’s 2010 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines (MMWR 2010;59(No. RR-12) and the 2012 MMWR Update to CDC's Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010: Oral Cephalosporins No Longer a Recommended Treatment for Gonococcal Infections (MMWR 2012; 61 (31): 590-594).” - 4.6 stars (10/31/2013).

MEDICAL CALCULATORS

Qx Calculate - “Essential tools in General Practice, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Surgery, Obstetrics, Nephrology, Hematology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Respirology, and more.” - 4.6 stars (10/3/2013). Comment: This is the fastest and most organized medical calculator that I’ve found. Not as complete as MedCalc 3000 Complete but easier to use and to navigate. Since just about everything necessary is found on Qx Calculate, this is the medical calculator I end up using most frequently. Free.

RSI Calculator - “This app is designed to be stepped through rapidly - patient class (Adult, Pediatric, or Geriatric); patient weight in pounds or kgs, or Broselow tape if pediatric; finally, patient health considerations - does this patient have an intracranial bleed? Is this patient hypotensive? Should hyperkalemia be suspected? - finally, here are your drugs and dosages.” - 4.0 stars (10/21/2013).

MedCalc 3000 Complete - “MedCalc 3000 is the most popular and comprehensive Medical Calculator system on the web. MedCalc 3000 has been highly acclaimed, reviewed and tested over the last 11 years. As a trusted resource it has been integrated into many prestigious websites for Medical Education, Medical Literature, Pharmacology, Nursing and more. Now you can put this invaluable resource in the palm of your hand!” - 3.4 stars (10/21/2013). Comment: I only rarely use this app, and prefer instead QxCalculate due to the navigation system.

Mediquations - “The most comprehensive medical calculator for the iPhone is now available on Android! Mediquations makes getting the answers you need quick and painless. With 232 formulas and scoring tools and a intuitive interface, Mediquations is the smart choice for anyone looking for a medical calculator for Android.” - 4.3 stars (10/21/2013).

QUICK REFERENCES

palmEM - “palmEM is an all-in-one, rapid and succinct, evidence based emergency medicine quick reference. Internal medicine, critical care, family practice and urgent care clinicians will also find palmEM useful. The app is continually updated and expanded. Unlike several other references, updates are free and there are no yearly subscription fees. “ - 4.5 stars (10/3/2013). Comment: I use this on occasion. Less complete than ePocrates but sometimes gets to the relevant information more succinctly.

LIFE SUPPORT

MyATLS - “The medical care of trauma patients demands fast thinking and accurate, up-to-date resources. And there is no more reliable resource for trauma information than the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This app was developed alongside their seminal course, Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS). ATLS has trained more than 1.5 million participants in more than 75,000 courses around the world.” - 3.9 stars. Comment: an excellent complement to your ATLS course. Works well on Android apps.

EDUCATION

CDC News - “The CDC mobile tablet application puts health information at your fingertips. It features important health articles, Disease of the Week, popular journals, timely updates, and access to social media. Wherever you go, you’ll have 24/7 access to important and timely health information that you can use to protect yourself and your loved ones.” - 4.8 stars (10/21/2013).

INTERNET LINKS