Skyscape 320x480 support

The latest Skyscape versions of their popular medical applications for PalmOS now (finally!) support 320x480 resolution which affords a view of more text at a glance. This is a boon for devices like the T3 and the T5

Screenshot of PalmOS version


Screenshot of PPC version

Previously with only 320x320 support, the PalmOS versions displayed less text per screenful compared to the PPC versions. Now they are about the same.
I notice though that the search on the T5 is still slow as previously reported

Posted 5:40 PM by Palmdoc | |

Loading up the LifeDrive

Now that a Palm PDA has oodles of storage space, I wasn't suprised to read that vendors are now taking advantage and loading clinical apps on it.
From MobileHealthData:

Redmond, Wash.-based PDA Verticals Corp. will embed 1,000 LifeDrive PDAs from Milpitas, Calif.-based palmOne with clinical reference applications tailored to various specialties. The vendor will display and sell the PDAs at health care industry trade shows. PDA Verticals will load each of its LifeDrive PDAs with up to seven clinical reference applications. The vendor also offers remote management and updates to the software, as well as the addition of other hand-held applications at a physician's request.

PDA Verticals

Two more medical applications which currently are available only on WM that I would like to see ported to PalmOS are UpToDate (currently you can only access it wirelessly from the Palm) and DiagnosisPro.

Posted 4:55 PM by Palmdoc | |

The ultimate PDA for free?

I was intrigued to see a post in The Book of Joe about The ultimate PDA — and it's essentially free.
Anyway before you get overly excited, it's really nothing - just index cards and a binder clip, dubbed the "Hipster" PDA!
Here's something even cheaper and more "handy":


I really can't recommend either to doctors ;)
The big argument against traditional PDAs has been that if you forget to charge your PDA, then you lose all your data (especially if you forget to or don't bother to backup your data either on SD or Hotsync, something many of my colleagues are guilty of!).
Well fear not for the latest generation of PDAs from PalmOne now use non-volatile Ram which retains your precious data even if the charge runs out. The only way the data is lost is by a hard reset. I think this is a big plus and I'll put up with any bugs the NVFS might have but at least it shows PalmOne is still pioneering the way and Microsoft has some catching up to do here - though WM2005 will support this feature.

Posted 7:05 AM by Palmdoc | |

Clinical Orthopedics

Pacific Primary Care has updated Clinical Orthopedics in Palmgear.

Application Description The topics included: everything orthopedic you can imagine, from head to toe. It includes emergency procedures, diagnostic procedures, detailed therapeutic and rehab info as well as many illustrations. This text is very extensive, it covers a vast amount of information. Great for any primary care physician, resident or even a medical student.

Posted 7:30 AM by Palmdoc | |

OnTimeRx

OnTimeRx 2.5, is an award-winning Medication Reminder and Healthcare Schedule Manager. Now updated for the PPC platform. It's of course also available on the Palm and I would recommend it highly for all and encourage doctors to beam the app to their patients if they have PDAs. I have!

Posted 6:59 AM by Palmdoc | |

Pepid

Pepid - Portable Healthcare Expertise in the Palm of your hand, has been updated to version 6.1 as of April 2005.
Various "suites" to suit your specialty are available - both on PDA as well as Online.

What's New in PEPID Version 6.1 April 2005 Introducing! evidence-based medicine PEPID's value as a research tool is enhanced by monographs developed by PEPID and the Family Physicians Inquiry Network (FPIN). Nearly 200 Clinical Inquiries from practicing physicians are now linked to medical and pharmaceutical content within PEPID PCP and CRC software. Introducing! PEPID OnCard Installs and updates just got easier! Now it's simply plug 'n play with a PEPID OnCard. Avoid the hassles of slow connections and firewalls. Get your favorite PEPID content delivered to you door on a memory card. Click here learn how easy it is to keep vital reference information current. Improved New navigation enhancements Now get even quicker access to critical information with our improved navigation and toolbar. With over 10,000 entries, the PEPID index has always been the fastest way to information. Now we've made it even faster by colorizing drug topics in blue; bolding and capitalizing keywords. 6.1 Highlights * Major update with content additions and system improvements. * All suites include: 1. Major content updates and revisions (see individual products for details). 2. 37 new drugs, 36 new interaction generators.* 3. Beer's criteria for medication use in elderly. 4. Improved PocketPC performance enhancements for quicker data access. 5. Palm performance enhancements for better usability. 6. See individual products for more specific software update information.

Posted 6:59 AM by Palmdoc | |

NFP

NFP v2.6 has been released on Freewarepalm

Description: A freeware program for tracking fertility, known as the Sympto-thermal Method, Fertility Awareness Method, Natural Family Planning, or Ovulation Method. NFP is a program designed for Palm OS that allows a woman or a couple to track her fertility using a set of simple daily measurements. NFP can be used either to avoid or achieve pregnancy. It can be an effective chemical-free method of contraception, or it can be an inexpensive method of conception.

Freeware but do be warned that Natural Family Planning methods are not foolproof and have the highest rates of failure if you are relying on it to avoid pregnancy.

Posted 4:41 PM by Palmdoc | |

ProfileMD Classic

"Easy way to keep up with 10 surgeries, 5 doctors & 23 prescriptions a month. I'd be lost without it"

I guess if you are in the same boat as this satisfied user, you would appreciate software like ProfileMD Classic - now updated to version 1.04
Description:
ProfileMD Classic is a FREEWARE personal health record that can give you instant access to your medical history in case of emergencies, physician office visits, or anytime you need the details of your medical history around-the-clock, anywhere in the world from your PalmOS PDA.
ProfileMD can help reduce medical errors by providing rapid access to accurate medical information.
ProfileMD can help cut down on redundant tests, procedures, treatments, and vaccinations by recording this crucial information.

Well I sometimes wish my patients would be more accurate and forthcoming with details of their medical history and if more patients had PDAs running software like this I am sure your doctors would be well pleased.

Posted 8:02 PM by Palmdoc | |

FitnessPlus

FitnessPlus sounds like a fantastic free program for all you fitness fanatics (not couch potatoes like me!)

Description: FitnessPlus is a comprehensive and powerful fitness tracking software for Palm OS, Windows, and Windows Mobile devices. Your can use FitnessPlus for diet and exercise tracking to achieve weight loss or weight gain goals, or simply to track your overall fitness and daily nutrition intake.

Posted 8:15 PM by Palmdoc | |

Lifedrive goes Live!

It's official. The LifeDrive is real since it now appears in palmOne's website. It belongs to a new category of devices palmOne terms "Mobile Managers".
You can view a cool Product Tour

A couple of things missing from the Specs page - does it have 32MB ram or 64MB ram? Does it support USB2.0? The latter I think is important since the 4 GB drive is built in and if you want to transfer a large video clip (not necessarily for entertainment - maybe an angiogram clip or something!) transferring over USB 1.1 would be painfully slow compared with 2.0
I have a 2 Gb CF card for my Dell Axim x50v and it's a cinch removing it and plugging it into my USB 2.0 card reader for those extra large files.
PIC mentions it has 64MB Ram and supports USB 2.0 so this sounds good.

I personally think this device will be great for doctors and healthcare providers - especially if you have wireless connectivity where you work....

Posted 7:32 PM by Palmdoc | |

Concise Guide to Drug Interaction

Skyscape has released Concise Guide to Drug Interaction Principles for Medical Practice Cytochrome P450s, UGTs, P-Glycoproteins, 2nd Ed. on Palmgear.

An understanding of drug interactions has become essential to the practice of medicine. Since publication of the first edition of this Concise Guide in 2001, our increasing pharmacopoeia - coupled with prolonged human life spans - has made polypharmacy commonplace. Like the first edition of this unique pocket reference, the Second Edition is written expressly for clinicians. With four new contributors, this bestseller includes expanded sections on both phase I and phase II metabolism, updates of existing chapters and tables, new graphics, and extensive Web site references. Brand-new chapters discuss P-glycoproteins, "minor" cytochrome P450 enzymes, pain management with narcotic and nonnarcotic analgesics, prescribing guidelines, and medicolegal issues.

To be honest, checking on doses and using Epocrates' Multicheck drug interaction checker is more than enough for me! But if you want to go into the nitty gritty, then perhaps you could check this out....

Posted 8:02 PM by Palmdoc | |

New USBMIS Titles

USBMIS has announced a couple of new PDA titles:
Schwartz Principles of Surgery, PDA Edition
Just the Facts in Emergency Medicine, PDA Edition

Posted 7:06 AM by Palmdoc | |

New free Palm medical programs

Spotted in Ectopic Brain....

Dr. Beren of CZR Technologies has released 4 free medical applications:
Abnormal Pap Smear
Drugs in Pregnancy
Depression
Abnormal INR

Posted 7:51 PM by Palmdoc | |

Frank Shann's Drugdoses for PDA

Sanjay, my paediatrician colleague who just got a Tungsten E2, is now getting into the thick of PDAs. He asked me about Frank Shann's DrugDoses - a Pediatric drug reference which originates from Australia. I initially looked for it without success but Dobbs managed to locate it! Thanks Dobbs..

The website is DrugDoses for PDA and you can download and evaluate a PDA version (Palm and Pocket PC) of Frank Shann's booklet

Description: It has never been so easy to have a copy of Drug Doses with you at all times! The PDA version (for Palm and PocketPC) of the booklet takes less than 350k, and it gives you an enormous amount of information. The PDA version contains all the drugs that are in the booklet, but you can find them much faster. In addition, you will also be able to download updated versions of the database every few months. The PDA version also gives you access to a lot of other information. We have included many current laboratory values, a useful cardiology database and a calculator that will help you give the correct doses when you are resuscitating a child. The PDA versions are developed by Dr O. Karam, Geneva, Switzerland.

If you want a review, you can head over to Swiss-Pediatrics.org, but if you are not fluent in French, then with the help of Google, you can read an English version here

Posted 7:19 PM by Palmdoc | |

Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders

Skyscape has a new title out, Quick Reference to the American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders, Compendium 2004:

Description: Contains Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) to all of the published APA Practice Guidelines. QRGs are created by abstracting the crucial information from the text of the full guideline, with greatest emphasis placed on retaining the material most directly relevant to the treatment decision making, and are intended for day-to-day work with patients.

Posted 7:28 AM by Palmdoc | |

Clinical Neurology 2006

Pacific Primary Care have released Clinical Neurology 2006

Application Description: Topics include: evaluation of weakness, neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, demyelinating disease including MS and Guillain-Barre, carpal tunnel, cerebellar disorders, movement disorders (tics, Tourette, dystonia..), tremors, Parkinsons, cerebral palsy, ALS, seizures, strokes, headaches, coma, cervical spine problems, low back pain, radiculopathy, sciatica, myofacial pain, sacroiliac dysfunction, ankylosing spondylitis and pseudo-neurological syndromes. To help you manage and treat anything that walks through the door. It is constantly updated, adding the latest and greatest medical management, drugs, dosages, and evidence based medical pearls.

Posted 7:33 PM by Palmdoc | |

Lifedrive: a great PDA for doctors?

The Palm PDA community is alive with anticipation of palmOne's new "Lifedrive" expected to be announced sometime the second half of May.
I think this will be the one medical PDA users will think of upgrading to (that is if you have been holding back), simply because it has 2 key features: dual wireless (the Wifi being the missing link in previous palmOne models other than the T|C) and a huge 4 GB storage which will be great for multimedia files. Now radiologists can consider putting images on the PDA. Large medical references should be no problem - perhaps UpToDate can finally come up with a PalmOS version and not only PPC. It's still a rumor but the drum beats are getting louder :) 

Posted 4:09 PM by Palmdoc | |

New Skyscape releases

Nurse Oncologists are precious. If you are an Oncologist and have a good team of nurses, then make sure you keep them.
Perhaps reward them with the latest update from Skyscape :
2005 Oncology Nursing Drug Handbook

I haven't used this but I guess if you are a trainee at the MGH, you might be interested in the PDA version of The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Internal Medicine, 2nd Ed.

Posted 6:52 PM by Palmdoc | |

Palm Pediatrics

A colleague of mine just got his first PDA - a palmOne Tungsten T|E2 which is one of palmOne's newest PDAs and one which I think is value for money given the specifications. Well, it's never too late!
Right now he's discovering what he has been missing but he has asked for more links and suggestions to put in his Palm.
I can suggest two good sites for Pediatricians:

Pediatrics on Hand

PedsPalm.com

Welcome to the world of PDAs, Sanjay!

If anyone has any other Pediatric PDA links, please let me know.

Posted 12:18 PM by Palmdoc | |

Depression PHQ-9 Beta

Statcoder has released Depression PHQ-9 Beta on Palmgear.

Application Description: The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) The Patient Health Questionnaire contains a brief, 9-item, patient self-report depression assessment specifically developed for use in primary care (PHQ-9). The PHQ-9 has demonstrated usefulness as an assessment tool for the diagnosis of depression in primary care with acceptable reliability, validity, sensitivity, and specificity. The nine items of the PHQ-9 come directly from the nine DSM-IV signs and symptoms of major depression.

This is another great freebie from the creator of numerous other PalmOS medical applications. Statcoder a.k.a. Andre Chen has not released any version for the PPC, but has also taken note of StyleTap as he has put up this page of info on running Statcoder apps on the PPC

Posted 8:23 PM by Palmdoc | |

Medcalc on a PPC

Screen shot of Medcalc running on a PPC.  
Medcalc is probably the best free medical calculator running on a PDA. It was available only for PalmOS but PPC users can now run it using Styletap. Screenshot courtesy of Wooikok - thanks.

Posted 3:36 PM by Palmdoc | |

Haemoncrules on a PPC (II)

Wooikok confirms that Haemoncrules works on the PPC using StyleTap. Here's a screenshot (provided by Wooikok - many thanks)

Posted 8:38 PM by Palmdoc | |

Epocrates Mobile CME Review

I have provided a walk-through and a small review of the new Epocrates MobileCME service which is a free add-on tool for all Epocrates users
I would highly recommend you install this if you are an Epocrates user. It's user friendly and of great educational value even for those of us outside the USA where the CME points submitted to AMA would be meaningless (hint, hint Epocrates, please go truly International!!)

Sample screenshot from the review:

Posted 5:26 PM by Palmdoc | |

Ultimate Anesthesia Quick Reference

The Ultimate Anesthesia Quick Reference was recently updated in Memoware. This is a free iSilo pocket anesthesia reference.

Description

Contains lists, charts, checklists, guidelines, etc. # Respiratory Events and Treatments. # Cardiovascular Events and Treatments. # Metabolic, Electrolyte, and Hematologic Events and Treatments. # Neurologic Events and Treatments. # Subspecialty Anesthesia Reference: cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, obstetrics, pediatrics, regional, pain, coagulation, medications. Quick-tap hypertext links to related pages. Any page can be accessed through the Table of Contents or the Alphabetical Index.

Posted 8:39 AM by Palmdoc | |