Mobile technology means having all the information you need right at your fingertips – but how do you know which apps are the best for accuracy and thoroughness? We’ve done the footwork.
According to a recent study by Research2Guidance, the market for mobile health app services will reach $26 billion by 2017. Mobile users and the health care market have collided – hard – and both doctors and patients are getting in on the action.
Health care apps are revolutionizing the way professionals are able to perform their jobs by keeping them plugged in to the very latest in information that may have updated since training was complete. Patients are able to educated themselves, keep better at-home health logs, and interact with their care professionals in new and exciting ways. Mobile health apps provide a way for the doctor patient team to be more in harmony than ever before!
The very abundance of health care related apps can make it hard to find the best ones. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of the most valuable, accurate, and useful – so you can get yourself plugged in to the wealth of information on tap, and start delivering even more focused care supported by the latest in mobile tech and the most recent developments in your field.
These are only a very few of the apps available, and they are all free as well as geared towards being specifically helpful for a broad range of health care advocates. You can find even broader tools (like Evernote or Dropbox) and more specialized apps that speak directly to your area of medical interest, but we believe these apps should be in every health professional’s toolbox.
Medcape
Created by WebMD, this app quickly became the number one app for health care, with over 3 million medical users worldwide. It offers medical news, drug and clinical references, images and procedure videos, CME (Continuing Medical Education) activities, and more. Grab it today even if it’s the only health app you ever download!
(Other apps worth checking out: MedPage Today, Skyscrape)
MicromedEx
Looking for a dependable drug reference app? Look no further. Micromedex is not only FDA approved, it’s considered to be one of the most reliable apps in evidence-based clinical reference. It has a clean, crisp user interface, can be utilized even with bare bones information, and provides the information you need to quickly check for drug interactions, contraindications, side effects, and more.
(Also check out Epocrates!)
Calculate (Medical Calculator) by OxMD
This medical calculator can be a literal lifesaver. Created by QxMD, this all-in-one app includes over 150 unique calculators and decision support tools which can be quickly searched and sorted by specialty.
(Also worth a look: CliniCalc Medical Calculator)
Read by OxMD
Another app brought to you by the aforementioned QxMD Medical Software, “Read” is perfect for quick, easy access to all of your favorite medical journals. You can personalize your account, sort and organize your articles, access PubMed with your extant credentials, and share via social networks or email with the tap of a button.
(You may also be interested in Docwise!)
MediBabble Translator
Sometimes a language barrier can be a frustrating obstacle to providing aid. Need simple, fast answers to oft-asked questions in a medical situation? MediBabble has thousands of pre-translated medical questions and instructions in English, Spanish, Mandarin, German, Russian, and more, for times when you need a translator fast and there are none to be found.
- iPhone/iPad
- Not available for Android
(Also worth a look: Canopy Medical Translator)
Visual Anatomy Lite
No matter what your specialty, it never hurts to brush up on your anatomy knowledge. Visual Anatomy Lite delivers a fun, interactive anatomy tool with realistic, 3-D rotational models of the human body parts. Work your way through the 120 high-resolution images, 300+ descriptive labels, multiple-choice quizzes, and more to hone your skills and expand your knowledge.
(Another option: Human Anatomy Atlas SP)
AHRQ ePSS
Need a quick evaluation of your patient to determine best course of action? The Electronic Preventative Services Selector (ePSS) app provides primary care clinicians with basic screening guidelines and public health information based on input about certain characteristics (age, sex, tobacco use, etc.). Punch in the data, and you’ll get back a reply based on the corresponding United States Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) recommendations. It’s a must have for anyone who might be in the front line of care.
Radiology 2.0: One Night in the ED
Not a radiologist? Not a problem. Every health care professional need to at least know the basics when it comes to reading x-ray’s , and this app sets you up for success by providing an interactive experience that uses various radiology cases to simulate the process for handling specific situations.
- iPhone/iPad
- Not available for Android
(Similar app: iRadiology)
Prognosis: Your Diagnosis
This creative app was developed with the goal to “make medicine fun.” Health care professionals of all types can play this informative and highly effective “game” – better than flash cards, it presents you with a clinical case simulation and lets you figure out how to proceed.
Smartphones and tablets are here to stay, and the evolution of mobile apps will yield amazing benefits when it comes to accessing, storing, and sharing medical knowledge. The above are, in our opinion, the best free apps for health care professionals today – add them to your phone or tablet and know you are prepared for any situation!