Filed under: Cool tools, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
Five Apps for the Gastroenterologist
Sometime this summer a wiseacre commenter (we get a few) suggested we do a "Five Apps" for a variety of somewhat offbeat topics. One wasn't so far-fetched however: gastroenterologist. One could say that a gastro doc has about the same needs as any doctor, of course, and that's an easy out. So here are 5 apps that are great for gastroenterologists and possibly any medical specialist... Coming soon: 5 apps for the lemur owner.
Epocrates Rx - This free app looks up drugs and is updated weekly. Epocrates [iTunes link] has already been available for other mobile platforms for a while, this is a must-have for physicians, I would think. There's also a Pro version that is designed for medical professionals, and it requires a yearly subscription fee to work. It's $99 for one year, which is pretty reasonable for what this does -- which includes an amazing pill ID tool.
DocWrite - Another free app with a service you subscribe to, but this may appeal to more than doctors. DocWrite [iTunes link] is a transcription service that sends your ramblings securely and sends you back a complete transcription in PDF or Word. DocWrite has a web-based dashboard for your stuff, too, so you'll never be without those documents in text or audio.
PubSearch - PubMed is a massive database of medical research papers and PubSearch (free version) [iTunes link] is an iPhone app that'll search them. Yes, of course you need a subscription to the database (noticing a trend here?). PubSearch also has a Mac desktop app, although there does not seem to be any coordination between the two. I'd imagine something like sharing bookmarks would be helpful. PubSearch Plus [iTunes link] costs $1.99 and is really the more functional version as it will show full articles and use EZProxy (where supported).
Medcalc - A free medical calculator? Yep, Medcalc [iTunes link] includes a ton of formulas for doctors, plus a few indices and charts and whatnot to keep a handy reference for those who need it. This app seems to cover a lot of ground, although I'm not sure how much applies to the field of gastroenterology.
Mobile MIM for iPhone and iPod touch - Sadly, this has yet to be released. But I'm guessing it'll be at the top of many doctors' wish lists. MIMvista makes real-deal medical imaging stuff and the MIM app for iPhone was demonstrated at WWDC. The demo was astounding, showing how doctors could merge CT and PET scans right on their iPhone and make notes for later use. The app is pending FDA approval, with no release date or price set.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ack154 said 2:09PM on 9-29-2009
Am I the only one disappointed to find out that "PubSearch" is not actually an app to find a bar?
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dagamer43 said 2:23PM on 9-29-2009
Let's not forget, Pocket Lab Values: http://bit.ly/nLqoc
It's #5 in the medical section of the App Store, so it must be good, right?
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Joe said 2:38PM on 9-29-2009
During the keynote, There was a demonstration of some peripherals that plug directly into the data port of the iphone (they showed a stethoscope and blood pressure machine. they also showed some common user one's like credit card swipers and RF plug ins to turn the whole phone into a fancy universal remote.
What ever became of peripherals?
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Hank said 11:27PM on 9-29-2009
Probably didn't realize they needed FDA approval for medical devices (I.e. 510k).
Jimbo said 2:34PM on 9-29-2009
How about a Top 5 for a Software Engineer?
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Martin said 2:40PM on 9-29-2009
Anyone have first-hand experience with docwrite? sounds interesting. free alternatives also welcome.
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Peter said 3:03PM on 9-29-2009
I would think gastroenterologists would also appreciate the iphone fart applications too. After all, I would look to them as the authorities in this area.
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THJ said 3:09PM on 9-29-2009
Great idea for a series. Though I was disappointed that it wasn't about food & drink (I saw gastro-something and pub-something, then promptly shut off my brain and turned on my appetite).
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Mike said 5:30PM on 9-29-2009
There are some DICOM viewers for iPhone too. One should have been mentioned.
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Ryan Trevisol said 3:25PM on 9-29-2009
I . . . I can't even muster the ire for this one.
Okay, just one pun.
If your only requirement for a Five Apps post is that 5 apps exist in a category, we could have some really fun ones . . . like Five Apps for the Aspiring Alcoholic, or Five Apps for the Co-Dependent Social Netowrking Teenager
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Victor Agreda Jr said 8:53PM on 9-29-2009
Those are perfect, consider it done.
Ryan Trevisol said 8:09AM on 9-30-2009
You know it took me till last night to realize that 5 Apps for the Gastro was one of my jokes the LAST time we did this dance.
Well played, Agreda, well played.
I hope you guys know I comment because I care, and my sarcasm just masks the fact that deep down, I really wish I could contribute to TUAW.
You know, yesterday, I did have 5 apps ready for the Aspiring Alcoholic but the commenting system would only let me post 3 links. :-P
LD said 3:46PM on 9-29-2009
I believe MIM for iPhone was released at the initial launch of the App store but has since been pulled. I think I even have a copy on my iTunes server
Just checked. I do indeed have a copy. I work in the medical imaging field so I checked it out. Fairly nice, though as I understand it, it relies on a MIM server to do a lot of the actual work. Osirix has an iPhone app that is also pretty cool when it comes to imaging.
Not much point for FDA approval though. If I found a doctor had made a diagnosis off his iPhone I'd sue the piss out of him, even with as much as I like Apple :)
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aaron said 6:20PM on 9-29-2009
Why? Luckily you couldn't sue for that reason even if you wanted to.
LD said 6:23PM on 9-29-2009
Why? Because it's not considered a diagnostic quality screen. And certainly you could sue, and win, for that reason.
aaron said 6:33PM on 9-29-2009
duty, breach, causation, damages... hmm, nothing about screen quality in malpractice law.
LD said 6:44PM on 9-29-2009
aaron, think a little here. Doctor makes a diagnosis off a piece of non-diagnostic equipment. That potentially has ramifications that spread years or decades if he missed a voxel of information.
There is a reason diagnostic quality monitors cost several thousand dollars and must be approved for sale.
There is a reason you can't use open source, non-FDA approved imaging applications for diagnosis.
And if you do, be ready for a lawsuit. Notice I've never used the term malpractice either as IANAL and can't say if it does or does not come under that particular legal definition.
dajimmers said 7:15PM on 9-29-2009
@LD: For a radiologist, yes, it would be less-than-standard care if official interpretations were made from an iPhone, and also strange why they would be using it with their certified screens pretty much wherever they are. But for non-radiologists who make quick-n-dirty assessments of images all the time off of relatively poor screens, this could become a valuable new tool, even useful for diagnosis at times.
Example: doc is in the ER assessing a patient with difficulty breathing. He asks for the chest x-ray while he gets the rest of the history and physical exam done, and the image is pushed to his iPhone the moment it's ready- a quick look could show what may be going on and give him clues on what to do right away, while the final interpretation from the radiologist wouldn't be ready for hours.
David said 5:14PM on 9-29-2009
Although this review makes it sound like DocWrite offers transcription, I went searching for info on the security/confidentiality of this process (assuming it was done by humans) and ended up concluding that the app doesn't actually offer this at all. Rather, from the material I've been able to find, the service seems to facilitate transcription of your dictations by providing a web-based interface that a designated transcriber can use to access the audio files, perform the transcription and then store the results (which may be automatically relayed back to the app). Thus, you pretty much already need to have a dictation/transcription methodology in place, with DocWrite simply making it easier by providing a mobile app and an infrastructure for shuttling the audio and transcribed file around securely between the "dictator", transcriber and storage.
Do I have this correct? I'd like to know since I have a person in mind who I'd like to tell about the service.
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DocWrite Team said 8:45AM on 9-30-2009
DocWrite currently allows you to dictate the file and have the system automatically notify someone or multiple people (an assistant, front office person or current transcription service) via email that a dictation is ready to be transcribed. That person would then log into the secure system and transcribe your file with our online transcription system and you or they could then download the final text document. The value of the current functionality is that you can dictate notes from literally anywhere at anytime and the file is automatically and securely uploaded and stored on the server and available to be transcribed immediately.
Automatic transcription using voice recognition with a higher degree of accuracy than is currently available in the market is in development and will be available shortly.
More information can be found at http://www.docwrite.com
Thank you for your interest in our product.
DocWrite Customer Support Team