Technology has made life much easier for all of us. Apps can help us keep track of our kids, turn on lights, even when we aren’t at home, and pass the time by playing a favorite game or listening to music. As we move forward, technology paves the way.
Medicine and technology are ever-evolving-and intersecting. Today’s technological advances make our lives easier, and they make medicine and healthcare a more precise practice. From OR software to billing and patient files for paperless offices, technology saves time-and lives.
Just as healthcare facility staff and physicians are better able to provide patient care at work, thanks to these advances, nurses and physicians can save valuable time and provide stand-out patient care from wherever they are. It’s all in the apps! Take a look at the three most popular healthcare apps that healthcare professionals should be using right now.
Favorite Apps for Healthcare Professionals
Epocrates
Known for it’s extensive drug and pharmaceutical database, Epocrates is the most popular clinical healthcare app used by physicians in the United States, according to a survey performed by Manhattan Research. Epocrates supports decisions made by healthcare professionals in the moment of care. Epocrates’ thorough database includes such information as correct dosing for pediatric and adult patients, cautions, interactions, and contraindications, pharmacology and medication id, including pictures. All in the palm of your hand.
The basic version of Epocrates is free. The paid version of the app includes a complete compilation of clinical treatment protocols and guidelines, a disease database, medical information on a whole range of conditions, and an ICD-10 code lookup.
UpToDate
Billed as “the premier evidence-based clinical decision support resource” the UpToDate healthcare app is truly a game-changer in the way physicians and healthcare practitioners provide immediate care. With peer-reviews and all the latest clinical developments at your finger tips, UpToDate helps you stay current (thus the name) in the care you provide.
The UpToDate website has been a favorite among care providers for years. The mobile healthcare app takes all that makes the website so popular and puts it in your hand. Currently, both the app and the website are subscription-based. But, because of the popularity of the healthcare app among physicians and care providers, many healthcare facilities absorb the cost of this highly reliable tool. One more benefit to using the UpToDate app? You can earn free CME credits each time you use it.
Medscape
Medscape is one of the leading resources for medical support. This app is used by physicians, nurses, medical students and other healthcare professionals-over three million in fact. The easy to use app is updated continually and allows healthcare providers to find the answers they need, quickly and accurately. The Medscape app offers a clinical reference database of well over 8,000 different drugs, along with a drug interaction checker that checks up to 30 different drugs at one time. There is a reference tool for 4 thousand different diseases and conditions, clinical images and videos of procedures.
The free mobile healthcare app, powered by WebMD, also provides healthcare professionals with news and alerts, tailored to your area or specialty, approved practices and guidelines from medical associations, and important FDA announcements. You can also earn CME credits for free, right within the app. If you install the entire database, there is no need for an internet connection to access the information within Medscape.
As Medicine and Technology Move Forward
One thing you can count on is that these, and other, similar healthcare apps, will continue to grow in popularity among healthcare professionals. Constant upgrades ensure the capabilities of these healthcare apps and their performance. Technology and medicine make a truly lifesaving combination. As the two worlds continue to intersect the state of precision healthcare will only improve.
