10 Pre-Hospital Medical Apps
We've been busy searching the latest Apps for iPhone and Android and we think these are some of the best.
There are certainly a more comprehensive range of Apps and better quality Apps (from Oxford press, the BNF and UKRC for example) for the iPhone although the range for Android phones is increasing all the time and there is no real difference in functionality.
Medical Apps for the iPhone are easier to find; within a year of the Apps Marketplace being launched the Medical Apps came under their own category - unfortunately this isn't the case for Android users who still have to dig them out amongst all the others buried under the all encompassing "Reference" category.
Most of these Apps are chosen for Pre-Hospital care workers rather than clinicians; that said, some are more suited to medical students whilst some will be of more use to rescuers, pre-hospital medics, expedition medics, EMTs and First Aiders. But all of them are interesting.
iPhone
SOAP Notes App - $9.99 annual subscription
SOAP Notes if our favouriate app; packed full of funcionality SOPA Note provides an intuitive reporting system which enables the resuce to promnptly record important information relating to both the casualty and the incident.
As well as recording subjective data and vital signs, SOAP Notes pinpoint the location using the phones GPS and photos can be added. Once stored, the infromation can quickly be shared to facilitate patient handover.
One of the most functional Apps for pre-hospital care professionals. With references and calculations for burns treatment, O2 therapy, fluid replacement, equipment sizing...the list goes on. For advanced users this is the definitive all-in-one App.
Medscape wins points because it is free: It is probably the most useful free medical App for the iPhone, including a Drug Reference, Drug Interaction, Disease & Condition Reference, Clinical Procedures and Medical News features all in one App. It is all, however, American.
Oxford Handbook of Emergency Medicine - $59.99
A core text for pre-hospital medics but at a price.
British Nursing Formulary - $43.99
The BNF is the drugs bible in the UK especially for those who prescribe and administer. If you do neither of these roles it is still the most useful reference in source in the country.
Tabers Medical Dictionary - FREE
Does exactly what it says on the tin...until the Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary becomes available on iPhone.
Carters Encyclopaedia of Health and Medicine - $9.99
Every smartphone should have a medical encyclopaedia and this one is as good as they get for the iPhone.
Oxford Handbook of Tropical Medicine - $59.99
Given the price and the nice market this App will have a limited audience but for expedition leaders and medics venturing abroad it could prove to be a valuable, weightless addition to their medical kit.
This quick reference tool is designed to help healthcare professionals make differential diagnoses quickly and easily at the point of care. For non-HPC's such as First Aiders and Expedition Leaders this could be a valuable tool for helping speed up the diagnosis of a casualty with the aid of tele-medical support.
This handy App doesn't do much; in fact it only does one thing but it does it wonderfully well. Rescue@ brings up your address and GPS coordinates (and margin of error) when 112 (or your personally defined emergency phone number) is called, allowing the caller to quickly and easily give an accurate location even if they are in an unfamiliar or remote environment.
Android
SOAP Notes App - $9.99 annual subscription
SOAP Notes if our favouriate app; packed full of funcionality SOPA Note provides an intuitive reporting system which enables the resuce to promnptly record important information relating to both the casualty and the incident.
As well as recording subjective data and vital signs, SOAP Notes pinpoint the location using the phones GPS and photos can be added. Once stored, the infromation can quickly be shared to facilitate patient handover.
Again, Android users are blessed with having another great App available to them as well as their iPhone colleagues. iResQ is the ideal tool for any Pre-Hospital Care provider. iResQ was developed using it's predecessor, ResQShopPC. It will perform all of the functions of it’s predecessor, with the addition of greater functionality and a completely redesigned graphic user interface (GUI). The definitive al-in-one App for the pre-hospital care provider.
Again, #3 in the list for everything you get for free.
Tabers Medical Dictionary - $49.95
And this is where the parity of esteem between iPhone and Androids Apps ends. This App is free on iTunes but around £30GBP for Android? Everyone should have a Medical Dictionary and this is one of the best. It contains easy-to-understand explanations of over 60,000 medical terms.
BKS Steadman Medical Dictionary - $19.95
Cheaper than the Tabers Dictionary. Almost as good.
This handy App doesn't do much; in fact it only does one thing but it does it wonderfully well. Rescue@ brings up your address and GPS coordinates (and margin of error) when 112 (or your personally defined emergency phone number) is called, allowing the caller to quickly and easily give an accurate location even if they are in an unfamiliar or remote environment.
Whilst iPhone users are blessed with the BNF and publications from Oxford press (such as the comprehensive Emergency Medicine andTropical Medicine handbooks), Android users are left searching the obscure US and free apps.
iMeds is based on the official prescribing info for over 8,000 FDA-approved Medications Search By -Med Name -Manufacturer -Drug Form -Ingredient ALL drugs have EASY TO READ FORMAT for -Dosage -Indications & Usage -Boxed Warnings -Contraindications -Adverse Reactions -Info for Patients -Overdose -12 OTHER CATEGORIES 2.4.3 more meds+bug fixes
Quickly search over 1,000 differential diagnoses by organ system, symptom, disease, or browse all entries to help you reach an accurate diagnosis. Use the “See Related DDx” feature within each entry to consider alternative diagnoses and quickly link to those entries. Bookmark entries in Favorites to retrieve later.
This App is used to identify hazardous materials transported by vehicles from their UN number and coloured diamond.
Pocket EKG 12 Lead Basic - $2.99
A tutorial rather than an 'on the job' tool. Learn to interpret the 25 most encountered cardiac dysrhythmias. Actual tracings ensure quick learning (25 included). Interactive quiz included. Perfect for EMS personnel, paramedic, nurse, PA, resident, medical student. Also check out the 12 lead EKG interpretation App covering ischemia, STEMI and more.
