PDAs in Medicine
Jerry A. Lambert, MD (JLambert@mcg.edu)
MCG Department of Family Medicine
** a “must-have” for family physicians, and free * family physicians should seriously consider
*ACLS v.1.0 (www.palmgear.com) Free. 70K. Gives quick access to latest ACLS protocols.
Antibiotics
Guide (www.hopkins-abxguide.org) Free. Similar to ePocrates
qID but laid out differently, contains diagnostic
criteria, updates automatically. Weak on peds infections. From Johns
ATP 3 (www.nhlbi.nih.gov) Free. 334K. Interactive tool to assist with implementing the guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program’s 3rd report of Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP’s ATP III)
**Cholesterol
(www.statcoder.com) Free. 57K. Based on
Clearance (www.statcoder.com) Free. 76K. Helps facilitate preoperative evaluation using your choice of two algorithms
Converter (http://www.mattmarsh.net/computing/converter.shtml) Free. Converts over 200 units, from pounds <-> kg, international clothing sizes, F<->C, more.
*DoseCalc (http://pocket-doc.com/ OR www.palmgear.com) Shareware (30 day demo, $10 to register). 36K. Aids in calculation of medication doses. Allows rounding.
E&M Coder (www.statcoder.com) $75 shareware. 157K. Facilitates accurate E&M coding with easy-to-use check boxes, etc.
**ePocrates qRX (www.epocrates.com): Free vs. $50/year. Around 1500K. The leading clinical drug reference guide. Provides information for the most commonly prescribed medications. Also has tables, ACLS protocols, antibiotic recommendations in <5 seconds on >400 pathogens and >400 antibiotic drugs, information on alternative drugs, more. Automatically updated with each sync.
**Growth (www.statcoder.com) Free. 81K. Calculate growth percentiles and Z scores using the newly-revised CDC Growth Charts including the new BMI-for-age charts.
*InfoRetriever (www.infopoems.com/sample/sampledownload.cfm) Commercial. Search a database of 1500+ validated studies, a set of decision rules and clinical calculators, the Cochrane Database, drug information, evidence-based clinical guidelines, and the Five-Minute Clinical Consult.
*KidDose (http://medical-data-solutions.com/kiddose.htm) $16. Like DoseCalc, but already contains current concentrations of >350 drugs. See http://medical-data-solutions.com/products.htm for several other commercial applications for pediatric care.
LabValues (http://www.plowmed.com) $30. Generates differential diagnoses, common signs and symptoms, and treatment strategies based on standard blood chemistry and urine analysis. Has 30 treatment algorithms, common conversions & calculation, acid-base calculator, and preg wheel.
MedCalc (http://netxperience.org/medcalc) Freeware. 138K. Medical calculator for many clinical formulas (A-a gradient, BMI, FeNa, pregnancy calculator, Q-Tc, and many more). Similar to MedMath but allows you to store calculations for specific patients (for later comparison or re-calculation).
**MedMath (pcheng@post.harvard.edu) Freeware. 37K. Like MedCalc but smaller since it doesn’t allow storage of results for specific patients.
**MedRules (www.pbrain.hypermart.net) Freeware. 147K. Clinical prediction calculator (likelihood of acute sinusitis or strep pharyngitis or of CAD or DVT or PE or breast cancer; Bishop score….
*MerckMedicus (www.merckmedicus.com ) Freeware.
*OB Suite (www.freewarepalm.com/medical/obsuite.shtml) Freeware. 839K. Pregnancy wheel (see PregWheel below) that also calculates Bishop scores and stores patient list, their dates and labs.
**PainSTAT (www.goldenratiodesign.com) Shareware. 12K. Provides rapid calculation of approximate dose equivalents among frequently used opiate medications.
PatientKeeper (www.patientkeeper.com) $35 shareware. Around 500K. Palm-based EMR primarily designed for inpatient care. Allows for beaming information, tracking labs and vital signs….
Pneumonia (http://pda.ahrq.gov) Freeware. Clinical calculator for decision-making on pneumonia mgmt.
PDR (http://www.pdr.net) Free. Mobile version of PDR for Palm or PocketPC. With or without drug interaction tool.
**PregWheel (www.mdhelper.com) Freeware. 6K. Quick easy-to-use pregnancy wheel to
calculate EGA, EDC based on LMP.
PregPro (www.thenar.com/pregcalc)
Shareware, $20. 29K. Like OBSuite,
but also gives fetal measurements, expected weight gain, labs, more. Can store patient info in
registered version.
*Redi-Reference (www.redi-reference.com) $20. Succinct listing of clinical guidelines on cardiology, ID, pulmonology, endocrinology, gynecology, neurology, psychiatry, more.
**Shots 2004 (www.immunizationed.org) Freeware. 170K. Gives easy-to-understand graphic representation of the latest immunization schedule along with explanatory detail/text. A must have.
STAT E&M Coder, STAT ICD-9 Coder, STAT CPT Coder (www.statcoder.com) Commercial, $29-75. Tools that facilitate accurate coding.
** a “must-have” for family physicians, and free * family physicians should seriously consider
General software that has medical application potential
*Album ToGo (www.clubphoto.com) Free. 226K. PDA and desktop applications for viewing pictures and graphics on PDA.
AvantGo (www.avantgo.com) Free. Each time you sync, download abstracts from your favorite medical journals, AMA news, USA Today, Augusta Chronicle (at www.augustachronicle.com/PalmPilot/) etc.
Fireviewer (www.fireviewer.com/index.html)
Free. Image viewer. Multiple medical images
available.
*HanDBase (www.ddhsoftware.com OR www.handbase.com) Free demo, $25+ (532K). Powerful yet easy-to-use relational database program. I use it for pediatric milestones, lab value norms, procedure log, call schedule, predicted peak flow values….
*iSilo (www.iSilo.com) Shareware (30 day demo, then $17.50). 671K. Compresses and views html pages. Several medical “iSilo pages” available for free, including:
AsthmaMeister (www.MeisterMed.com) Free. Diagnosis, classification, treatment, pk flows….
CodeMeister (www.MeisterMed.com) Free. Quick easy reference for ICD-9, V- and CPT codes.
LyteMeister (www.MeisterMed.com) Free. Excellent reference on electrolyte abnormalities.
*WordSmith (www.handmark.com) Shareware, $30, worth buying. 623K. Award-winning word processor that interfaces directly with MS Word. Allows various fonts and sizes, underlining, bold, bullets, more.
Websites to find other
software and information on PDAs: