The Palmdoc Chronicles

Free Ugg Boots

2009-10-22T15:13:00.002+08:00

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Palmdoc PDA posts now at Palmdoc.net

The Palmdoc Chronicles has moved house

2006-07-21T00:40:00.000+08:00

Exciting news.
First of all, I've got a proper domain name, at last. You can now access the Palmdoc Chronicles simply by surfing over to

http://palmdoc.net

The new site is hosted on a server which uses the Wordpress publishing engine. I like Wordpress as I am familiar with it, there are many beautiful templates I can use and more importantly I can categorise posts and search posts as it is database driven.
While Blogger has served me well all these years, it is time to move on.
So ladies and gentlemen, please change your web links and your bookmarks to http://palmdoc.net
If you are using Feedburner, I've changed the feed to point to the new RSS feed, If you are using Bloglines or some other RSS feed reader, you may point the reader directly to the new site's RSS feed, http://palmdoc.net/?feed=rss2

This will be the last post on Blogger. Thank you for your attention.

ICIS PocketPACS

2006-07-18T12:31:00.000+08:00

Press Release: Global Care Quest Announces ICIS PocketPACS(via MedGadget )

ICIS PocketPACS, the newest member of healthcare software developer Global Care Quest, Inc.’s Integrated Clinical Information System (ICIS) line up, is an advanced viewing application that can take images from virtually any Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and send it to a handheld device or mobile smartphone via wireless Internet or high-speed cellular phone network. The system displays and manipulates chest X-rays, bone X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and most other medical imaging modalities.

ICIS PocketPACSBeyond simple image display, ICIS PocketPACS offers a number of advanced viewing functions including zoom, pan, multi-slice scrolling, Cine mode, window-level contrast adjustments, and Image inversion and rotation. The system will display all PACS images at the maximum screen size and image resolution of which the handheld device is capable. In most situations ICIS PocketPACS displays diagnostic quality images suitable for assessment and patient triaging.

Nice to see them use the Treo as an example. Even with the Treo's 320x320 screen, I really don't know how sharp the X-ray images will turn out. Still, interesting use of technology but I suspect this will evolve as the hardware gets better and better.

Dx/Rx: Palliative Cancer Care

2006-07-15T11:13:00.000+08:00

New in Palmgear: Dx/Rx: Palliative Cancer Care

Details precise, up-to-date information on palliative cancer care.
Key Features
* Provides a look at the field of pallative care which has been emerging in cancer centers across the nation
* Concisely and precisely introduces this vital aspect of oncologic care
* Discusses cancer pain and palliative care in a very understandable context
* New interactive flowcharts: Now, complex algorithms and protocols are transformed from static images into dynamic step-by-step decision support tools. See how this innovative feature can quickly and easily walk you through even the most intricate decision models.
* Built-in Medical Calculator: Equianalgesic Doses of Common Opioids Form provides instant access from within topics

Beta: Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, PDA Edition

2006-07-14T12:06:00.000+08:00

Tarascon Publishing and USBMIS, Inc. would like to offer you the opportunity to be one of the first to test-drive the newest PDA version of the Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia.
Visit http://www.usbmis.com/beta for more information and to get your Beta copy of the new Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia for your PDA.

The new Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, PDA Edition is now more complete than ever. Many additional features join the existing trusted content to create the most valuable drug reference available for Palm and Pocket PC devices.

New Features Include:

New Graphical Interface gives the application a sharp, new look for hi-resolution devices
6 New Calculators assist with adult GFR, pediatric GFR, Temperature Conversions, and Weight Conversions
New Content Preferences feature allows users to customize the order in which content is displayed in their application
New Bookmarks enables further customization of frequently-used content
Improved Device Support now includes support for higher resolutions, larger screens and Palm landscape mode.

Beta testing for the new Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, PDA edition is going on now and will be open until Aug 2nd, 2006.

Must-have Medical Apps for your PDA

2006-07-13T07:24:00.000+08:00

I thought of kicking off a series of "Must-have Medical Apps" for your PDA as it would be useful for doctors starting off with their new PDA or Smartphone.
PalmOS or PPC platforms welcome. Perhaps we'll start off for those of you in General Practice or General Medicine.
Please add your suggestions in this forum or post your comment here.

Watch out for the next post: Must-have Medical Apps for your PDA - General Medicine

Harrison’s Practice

2006-07-07T06:39:00.000+08:00

Harrison's Practice is a completely new resource from the expert editors of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Practical, concise answers to your clinical questions are presented in an innovative and easy-to-navigate format that helps you quickly find everything you need to establish a diagnosis and select the right treatment option.
With Unbound Medicine's unique PDA, Web and Wireless platform you can carry Harrison's Practice anywhere! Intuitive built-in navigation helps you quickly review information and link to related topics. Regular updates are delivered automatically on the Web and when you synchronize your handheld.

My Procedures v1.1

2006-07-03T18:17:00.000+08:00

My Procedures v1.1 is a freebie which trainees and students who need to keep medical procedure logs might want to have in their PDAs.
Description:
"My Procedures" lets you track your procedures, from your pda or Windows desktop, print a list of your procedures, with a spreadsheet, and email a list of your procedures.

New Skyscape Releases

2006-07-02T08:45:00.000+08:00

Dx/Rx: Leukemia 9.0.7
Dx/Rx: Leukemia (DxRxLeuk) provides a comprehensive review of the leukemias and myeloproliferative disorders.
Dx/Rx: Breast Cancer 9.0.5
Dx/Rx: Breast Cancer is a complete but concise reference that covers staging, monoclonal antibody therapy, genetic aspects of breast cancer, and prevention strategies, among other important topics.
FDA Guide to Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins 9.0.7
Badbugs is an essential mobile reference that provides the basic facts regarding the characteristic disease symptoms of foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins.

Medical Imaging Consultant

2006-06-30T10:27:00.000+08:00

Medical Imaging Consultant PDA Edition by USBMIS is the ordering physician’s quick reference for diagnostic imaging exams. It provides portable, fast access to extensive information that will help determine whether image testing is necessary, and if so, assist in choosing the most appropriate exam.

With interlinked content and a custom designed user interface, the Medical Imaging Consultant PDA Edition provides the most convenient and accurate way to select the single, best exam.

Features include:

* Current information for over 350 clinical conditions
* Data on diagnostic procedure
* Clinical benefit
* CPT Code
* Medicare reimbursement
* Radiation in chest X-ray equivalents
* Overall risk factors
* Clearly divided pediatric and adult sections
* Easy-search index

Superb Palm Service

2006-06-29T14:33:00.000+08:00

Thought I'd digress from the usual medical software news and give credit where it's due. My Treo650 gave trouble - the keyboard became unresponsive at several sections. I called up Palm Asia and without much trouble, got an SRO number for an exchange with a refurbished unit (the usual practice). I was expecting a downtime of 72 hours or thereabouts and I switched to my Dell Axim x50v for synchronizing Outlook Data between my work and home PCs, and for a phone my backup was my old trusty SEt68i. Needless to say, the Dell made a mess of the sync and I ended up with numerous duplicates. Luckily I also have MapiLab Outlook Duplicate remover installed and this removed the dupes like grease lightning.
Anyway the happy story is when I sent my Treo650 to the Palm Drop Zone which happened to be fairly near where I work, I got an immediate swop!. So the down-time was really minimal, less than 24 hours. Kudos to Palm. Great service once again, thank you.

PalmPDF updated

2006-06-25T07:28:00.000+08:00

I use PalmPDF a lot to read full text Journal articles in their original Adobe PDF format. This great freeware has been updated to version 1.3 and you can downloaod it from their website.
(via MobileRead)

Basic Concepts In Pharmacology

2006-06-23T06:24:00.000+08:00

USBMIS and McGraw-Hill have launched a portable survival guide for the most difficult-to-learn concepts in pharmacology. Now available for both the Palm and Pocket PC platforms, Basic Concepts in Pharmacology contains an organized approach to the hundreds of drugs covered in pharmacology classes today. The unique design and ease of organization in this application yields greater retention and reduces stress for the pharmacology student preparing for a course review or for the board exams.

Basic Concepts in Pharmacology, PDA edition provides all of the same valuable information as the print edition, as well as many additional features that can only be found within the PDA edition, in addition to the overall convenience of portable, mobile technology.

Features Include:

* Automatic updates to all chapters reflecting the latest advances in practice
* Bookmarks personalize your application for the information you access most frequently
* Interlinked content and a comprehensive index for easy searching
* Key concepts and definitions highlight essential information
* Charts, Tables and Illustrations allow easy comprehension of complex material

ActiveECG goes Bluetooth

2006-06-22T05:33:00.000+08:00

ActiveECG for Palm Handhelds Now Available with Bluetooth Connectivity

CASTINE, Maine - June 21, 2006 - Active Corporation, Inc., producer of portable medical devices used "when life is on the lineT," today announced the availability of a new BluetoothR adapter for their ActiveECGT cardiac monitor. For a limited time, the Bluetooth adapter will be offered to new ActiveECG customers for free.

ActiveECG is an inexpensive, handheld, professional cardiac monitor which provides diagnostic quality cardiac monitoring on PalmR handheld devices. The Bluetooth adapter for ActiveECG provides users with access to a wide variety of Palm handheld devices including Treo smartphones and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. This eliminates the use of varying cables for different devices and ensures that users can continue to use ActiveECG when they upgrade to new handhelds.

ActiveECG provides real-time display and recording of ECG data on Palm handheld devices. ActiveECG offers comprehensive cardiac monitoring capabilities which include QRS (heart beat) detection, pacemaker detection, leads-off sensing, active noise suppression and extensive self-testing. Its small size, rugged design and long battery life make it perfect for wilderness or other harsh environments. Its low price and use of standard, low cost consumables make it practical as a personal monitoring device.

"Palm's easy-to-use, flexible platform lets third-party solution providers, like Active Corporation, offer customers mobile versions of their products," said Tara Griffin, vice president of enterprise markets for Palm, Inc. "Treo smartphones with a Bluetooth connection to ActiveECG gives individuals the power to collect and monitor data cable free. Best of all, testing and monitoring capabilities are accessible outside the confines of a hospital."

By adding a Bluetooth adapter, ActiveECG can more readily be used in difficult monitoring situations. A patient can be monitored during the difficult extrications performed in wilderness medicine or by a ski patrol. An Emergency Medical Technician can monitor a patient trapped in a car or under debris from a secure distance, providing increased safety for the patient and the rescuer. Veterinarians can more easily monitor their patients who may not be willing to lie down
and cooperate, or who may be of a size that it is impractical to be connected via a cable.

Link

Google Epocrates

2006-06-20T09:13:00.000+08:00

You can now look up Epocrates drug info via Google
If you are a Gmail account holder, you can subscribe to Epocrates® Online via "Google Co-op."
With this service, you will automatically see links to FREE Epocrates drug monographs at the top of your results list when doing Google drug searches.

I wish Google would also get it to work with Mobile Google searches. Then one might consider replacing the memory hogging Epocrates application on the PDA with just your PDA's browser!

ICD-9CM Handheld Coding Tool

2006-06-16T18:27:00.000+08:00

Thomson and Novartis bring you the ICD-9CM Handheld Coding Tool - Version 1.2 with 2006 data for Palm and Pocket PC.
A little unusual that the setup program is for both Palm and Pocket PC. Unfortunate as you are forced to download 21 MB! Wish they could have separated the two setup programs. But it's free, so can't complain.
(Hat tip to Ectopic Brain.)

GlucoComm v1.2

2006-06-18T06:00:00.000+08:00

PocketPC users who use Accu-Check glucometers might also want to check out GlucoComm v1.2 from FreewarePPC.com
Description:

GlucoComm is an application to download your glucose readings from the Accu-Check line of glucose meters. It has been tested with the Active and Compact models. It should also work with other models from Accu-Check that have an IR port, but it has not been tested. It will likely not work with other brands.
Currently version 1.x will download all records from the meter, and allows for saving in a Comma Seperated Values (CSV) file that most spreadsheets can open.

IPDA-II

2006-06-16T07:27:00.000+08:00

Initial Psychological Disorder Analysis v3.0 is now available in Freewarepalm.com
Description:

Quickly determine an initial diagnoses of an Axis-I or Axis-II psychological disorder.
Accurately determine a clients course of action with this easy to use, flexible software for all Palm OS PDAs. IPDA-II is a versatile instrument for evaluating individuals suspected of having a psychological disorder. It enables mental health professionals to rapidly & easily determine an initial diagnoses of an Axis-I or Axis-II disorders via answering simple guided "Yes"/"No" questions leading to a result. IPDA-II saves and displays client's histories, initial diagnosis, demographics, medications & progress notes all at your finger tips.

In search of more Ram for my Treo - Palm are you listening?

2006-06-15T12:59:00.000+08:00

Now that the CDMA version of the Treo 700p is out, the rest of us on GSM networks can only look on in envy.
Now from the news that we hear on the grapevine, Palm is to release 4 new Treo models this year. 2 have been revealed: the Treo700w, and the Treo700p (WM and PalmOS respectively). The speculation is that the next two models will be "Hollywood" (possibly a GSM WM powered model without an external antenna) and "Lowrider" whatever this may be).
I think Palm will be making a BIG mistake if they don't release a PalmOS GSM Treo700p. Forget about 3G (there is talk that PalmOS Garnet cannot support 3G). I just need the RAM!! GPRS/Edge will do!!
There are 2 billion GSM users Palm. Neglect us and you shoot yourself in the foot (again). We don't want WM5 in Treos. We want a GSM Treo700p with more memory and NVFS issues fixed. Period.

Sanford Guide 2006

2006-06-15T06:50:00.000+08:00

The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy 2006, PDA Edition, for Palm and Pocket PC devices has been released.
Powered by USBMIS, The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy 2006, PDA Edition contains all of the content found in the print edition. This year's updates include:

* Up-to-date comprehensive treatment guidelines for bacterial, fungal, mycobacterial, parasitic and viral infections, including prophylaxis, occupational exposure and immunization
* As a reflection of the worldwide MRSA "epidemic", especially community-acquired MRSA, a new Table 6 is added to specifically address this growing problem
* Information on drug dosage, resistance, pharmacology, adverse reactions, drug-drug interactions and resource links is updated
* New and updated source references to the medical literature are included throughout

New in Palmgear

2006-06-11T06:46:00.000+08:00

Skyscape has released updates in Palmgear:

MedSurg Notes: Nurse’s Clinical Pocket Guide 9.0.6

MedSurg Notes provides succinct, on-the-spot guidance for caring for patients with complex medical-surgical conditions. MedSurg Notes offers focused assessments, immediate interventions, and follow-up care for patients who develop complications, all presented from the nurse’s point of view. From setting up an oxygen delivery system in a hospital room to administering stat meds, nurses and nursing students should rely on MedSurg Notes to help deliver high-quality care.

Mosby's Diagnostic and Lab Test Reference, 7th Ed. 9.0.5
Adaptable, convenient, and easy-to-use, this reference delivers information health care providers need for efficient, safe, and accurate testing. This reference contains a wealth of added functionality that makes pinpointing information easier and faster than ever.

The Little Black Book of Emergency Medicine, 2nd Ed. 9.0.5
Thoroughly revised and updated, the second edition of this reference provides comprehensive, concise, evidence-based information on diagnosing and treating illness and injury in the emergency setting. The Little Black Book of Emergency Medicine is a convenient resource offering quick access to vital information and makes a great reference for solving pressing problems on the ward or in the clinic.

Dx/Rx: Upper Gastrointestinal Malignancies: Cancers of the Stomach and Esophagus 9.0.6
Tightly organized into a super-condensed outline bulleted format, this reference details precise, up-to-date information for diagnosis and treatment of esophageal and gastric cancers. Comprehensive and concise, the reference covers epidemiology, diagnosis, staging, treatment, and complications. Throughout the handbook, tables and figures summarize important clinical data and current professional society recommendations, while salient references direct readers to additional information. Current, quick, and concise, for instant access on ward or in the clinic!

Outbreak ID Beta Test

2006-06-07T06:51:00.000+08:00

USBMIS announces the Beta preview of OutbreakID, an application for Palm and Pocket PC specially for physicians and public health professionals who stand on the frontlines as the key agents for the early detection of disease outbreaks. OutbreakID includes chemical and biological weapons, emerging infectious diseases, foodborne illnesses, occupational diseases, zoonoses, and arthropod-borne infections. It covers 199 infectious diseases, including nearly every disease listed in the Control of Communicable Diseases Manual.

OutbreakID gives physicians and public health professionals all the information at their fingertips about diseases that cause outbreaks.

Features:

* Explore the database of 199 diseases in 16 categories
* Search for diseases by "Disease Name" or "Disease Criteria"
* Verify findings and epidemiological factors with references listed for each disease
* Query by one or more disease criteria with the option for "AND" or "OR" searches
* Access diseases worldwide or limit the search to those endemic to the United States
* Bookmark your most often used searches, for quick access
* Keep Notes on diseases for your own reference

Join the OutbreakID FREE beta test today and be one of the first to use this groundbreaking application. Beta testing is open now and will close on June 20th.

Emergency Room Basics

2006-06-06T07:37:00.000+08:00

There's one place where a PDA would come in handy and that's the ER where you have little time to find that reference. It could save lives if you could look up that toxicology info or durg interaction right in your Palm.
Emergency Room Basics 3.05 has been released in Palmgear.

Application Description
Now available for Palm OS & PPC, Emergency Room Basics (ERB)is an iSilo-based product that provides practical information for doctors working in the Emergency Room (from medical students to senior residents/registrars).
Updated regularly, ERB is designed as a carry-with-you guide with the latest practises, links, diagrams and pictures to help bail you out of any clinical situation.
Note that ERB is a supplement and not a replacement to conventional texts. All registered users are entitled to a minimum of one year of full updates.

Tarascon Pharmacopoeia

2006-06-05T06:25:00.000+08:00

The Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia has been the most popular and most trusted source of portable drug information since 1987. Now USBMIS has produced this acclaimed reference on your Palm as the ultimate PDA drug tool, which includes:

* Expanded drug information from the Deluxe Edition of the print Pocket Pharmacopoeia
* A fully integrated tool for multiple drug interaction checking, with interactions data from the experts at The Medical Letter
* Continuous ongoing drug information auto-updates via the internet
* Both Palm and Pocket PC versions, including support for most extended memory cards
* A fully integrated Herbal & Alternative Therapy section
* 47 invaluable reference tables and 9 dynamic medical formula calculators
* Both convenient relative pricing codes ($ to $$$$$) and exact prices directly from www.drugstore.com.
* Extensive pediatric drug dosing
* Unique Canadian trade names and drugs

RSS Tutorial and Bloglines

2006-06-04T12:58:00.000+08:00

Bloglines is my favorite RSS reader at the moment. It is browser based so you don't have to install a separate app. The best part for PDA users is, there is a mobile version which works well with mobile browsers like Palm's Blazer and Opera Mini (version 2.04, the current one is quite stable and works very well with the Treo 650, especially supporting the Treo's navigation Dpad).
When I mention RSS to my colleagues, I usually get blank looks. Many people still haven't heard of RSS!

I have written a couple of simple RSS tutorials which might help some on the way:
Using RSS Feeds
Medical RSS Feeds

In the second link I mention how easy it is to generate Journal RSS feeds using PubMed's SendTo RSS facility.

Here's how:
1. Run a search in PubMed limiting the search only to the Journal of interest. For instance in the case of Blood Journal, you would put "Blood[jour]" in the Search box.
2. Choose RSS Feed from the Send to pull-down menu (this is at the bottom of the Pubmed page)
3. On the RSS Feed Page you may edit the name of the feed and limit the number of items to be displayed, click Create Feed. If the number of citations retrieved is greater than your “limit” number you will have the option to link to PubMed to display the entire retrieval.
4. Click the XML icon to display the XML and copy and paste the URL into the subscribe form in your RSS reader.

For Haemonc folks, here are the RSS feeds I have created:
Blood
Blood reviews
Bone Marrow Transplant
Current Op Haematology
Haematologica
Transfusion
Thrombosis Haemost
Br J Haem
Eur J Haem
Acta Haematol
J Clin Oncol

Here's a screenshot from my Treo650 running Opera Mini and viewing one of the feeds using Mobile Bloglines:

Happy feeding!