Everyone is going mobile – including our most trusted health care professionals. While the majority of health-related apps are geared towards patients, 15% of these apps (often called “mHealth”) have been designed specifically for doctors. The unfortunate part: only 28% of smartphone users and 18% of tablet users describe themselves as “very satisfied” with these apps that are supposed to make their already challenging job easier. If you’re a physician and are looking for helpful apps that won’t simply add more clutter to your mobile device, below are top ranked and rated apps for doctors:
1. Epocrates
Topping most doctors’ list is the free-to-download medical app, Epocrates. This useful app allows doctors to quickly and easily look up information about any drug including:
• Drug interactions
• Search for drug providers for consults and/or referrals
The app also delivers other features, such as calculating a patient’s measurements (i.e. BMI).
Additional information is available through the app, such as alternative medications, lab guides and disease information. However, these services, which are part of the Epocrates Essentials package comes with an annual fee of $159.99 per year.
2. MedScape
A part of the renowned website WebMD, Medscape provides doctors which quick information about drugs and drug safety, procedure videos, medical calculators, access to continuing medical education materials and more. This app prides itself on being the leading resource for healthcare professionals, being able to deliver accurate clinical answers at the tap of a screen.
3. UpToDate
UpToDate is a more costly app for physicians to invest in, starting at just under $500 per year for each physician. However, thousands of physicians have chosen to pay the fee in order to receive up to date medical information and to answer critical clinical questions at point of care. This app has been curated and been subjected to over 30 research studies to ensure that the app is relevant, effective and is able to improve both the care of a patient and hospital performance.
4. Omnio
Physicians can take advantage of this app which has been named by Medical Practice Insider as “one of the Top 10 Technologies on the Rise” for free. It contains a number of key elements including:
• Information about clinical trials
• References guides
• Drug interaction analyzers
• Medical calculators
While the app does currently still have some bugs which need to be ironed out, physicians should take advantage of the 21-day free trial that is now being offered so they can explore the app and its functions.
