Apps Physicians Should Start Using Now

Transcription

1 10 Apps Physicians Should Start Using Now

2 Evernote Evernote is a productivity app that allows users to store any type of information and access it through any device or on the Web. Use it to stash reference information about a practice, copies of notices, clippings found online, minutes of meetings, to-do lists, and anything else you might have on a Post-it note around an office space. Notes can be shared with others. Daniel Sands, primary-care physician, Healthcare Associates at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston; chief medical officer, Conversa Health

3 TigerText TigerText is valuable in our daily work flow by providing a reliable and effective tool for communicating time-sensitive patient information on the go, which is crucial in a hospital environment. Use it for everything from sending radiology and diagnostic images to communicating prescription dose adjustments and approving patient discharges. With a secure way to communicate with multiple caregivers and care teams at once, TigerText helps facilitate safer and more effective patient care. Mike Minks, chief information officer, Seton Healthcare Family

4 UpToDate Hundreds of thousands of physicians have installed this app, and for good reason. It is chock full of medical knowledge that allows healthcare practitioners to answer clinical questions at the point of need. However, it s also not cheap. While downloading the app is free, in order to actually access the wealth of information contained within it, physicians and/or their organizations need to have a subscription to the UpToDate database, which starts at $499 per year per person. Tom Giannulli, chief medical information officer, Kareo

5 Paper by FiftyThree Sometimes the most basic apps are the best. Notepad apps are available on almost every mobile device and allow busy physicians and office staff to scribble thoughts even when a paper and pen aren t nearby. Paper by FiftyThree is an app that has no lines, and, with a stylus, allows users to take notes, make figures, and process visuals. It works in the cloud and is easily retrievable on a desktop computer to print, , or text the information so the content doesn t need to be recreated. Drew Stevens, president and chief strategy officer, Stevens Consulting Group

6 Epocrates This medical app is packed with information as it relates to prescription drugs. Use it to evaluate alternative medications, access lab guides, identify pills by imprint code and physical characteristics, and assess safety information. It is particularly helpful for doctors to review medications they may not be prescribing on a daily basis for possible side effects or contraindications. Michele C. Reed, family physician, owner and medical director of New Yorkbased MS Family Medicine Health Care

7 Instapaper This cross-platform app allows users to save articles to read for later, even when they re offline. Time-crunched professionals don't always have time to immediately read the things they find on the Web, but store these documents in Instapaper and they ll be waiting for when there is downtime on a commute or over the weekend. Sands

8 Dragon Dictation Time spent walking between appointments and driving in the car is much more productive with Dragon Dictation. This app saves lots of time by allowing users to use their voices to create s, text messages, and memos even when they aren t sitting in front of a desktop keyboard. Stevens

9 Doximity This is the app for the social network for doctors. Doximity claims 40 percent of U.S. physicians are members (joining is free), and this app lets users access the network from anywhere. Use this app to find and communicate with other doctors on the network, send HIPAA-secure faxes through a smart device, and follow news and trends related to a specialty. Giannulli

10 Google Apps Google has many apps that can help physicians stay organized and in touch with other healthcare professionals. Google Calendar is a great calendar app that integrates with the iphone or Android calendar and is also accessible via the Web. Google Docs (for documents) and Google Sheets (for spreadsheets) make it easier to collaborate on documents and spreadsheets with others. Sands

11 Mayo Clinic This app provides access to an online health community, where patients can connect with and learn from other patients experiencing similar health issues. It offers a members-only discussion forum, as well as medical news and information from the Mayo Clinic. Giannulli