RE: PDA Software (Heather Snyder, DPM)
From: Multiple Respondents
Epocrates software for pharmaceuticals is
excellent. It can be obtained through
epocrates.com. It's updated frequently and also
includes a feature to check interactions with
other medications patient is taking.
Bruce G Blank, DPM, Martins Ferry, OH,
bruceblan@aol.com
I don't have experience with Rx programs for
PDA, but I have both ePocrates and Mobile PDR in
mine as well as Merck Medicus. I probably use
ePocrates the most-- in addition to complete
drug lookup, interactions etc, you can also
download many insurance plan formularies so you
can check on whether or not a drug is approved
or not. Patients are always impressed when I
pull out the PDA to instantly check on drug
interactions, potential cost, formulary status
etc.
Paul Busman, DPM , Troy, NY, BREWERPAUL@aol.com
As a medical writer for PEPID, I've learned a
great deal about this topic. An article just
published in Clinical Pharmacology &
Therapeutics compares the 11 products currently
on the market which provide drug databases and
prescribing information. Of concern is the fact
that the majority of medical errors stem from
physician's prescribing mistakes.
Knollman, BC. Personal digital-assistant-based
drug reference software as tools to improve
rational prescribing: Benchmark criteria and
performance. Clinical Pharmacology &
Therapeutics. July 2005 78(1):7-18.
With so many products available, choosing one
can be very confusing. This article provides an
overview of the products compared and discusses
the criteria consumers should consider when
choosing a PDA drug reference.
I have limited experience with the other
products but did want to make the following
additional comments. PEPID's PDC, or
Prescription Drug Companion is just one of the
products offered by PEPID and is used by most
subscribers in combination with our Emergency
Physician Suite, Primary Care product, Clinical
Rotations module, or a variety of nursing
products. Extensive work on pediatric topics is
underway right now. We work very hard to ensure
that the user can easily navigate through
enormous amounts of information to find what
they need quickly. Regardless of the amount of
information you have, it is useless if it cannot
be accessed easily and efficiently. When
choosing a drug reference for the PDA, the tiny
screen makes this a very important feature.
Physicians considering a PDA or adding software
should read this article carefully and
investigate the different products on their
own. (PEPID offers a free 30-day trial of their
product, as I imagine many of the do.) Anyone
unable to access this article may contact me for
a fax.
Peta Minerof, DPM, Chicago, IL,
pminerof@pepid.com
I've been using my Palm Tungsten T3 to prescribe
via iScribe. I'm not sure if they are currently
accepting new enrollees, but they provide the
software free of charge. The only requirement is
that you synch your PDA at least once a month so
they can view the demographics of your
prescribing. You can check their website at
iScribe.com.
I also use MobilePDR to check for drug
interactions, dosages, etc. My family also keeps
our calendar online at yahoo.com and every time
I synch, it updates my PDA's calendar so I can
find my family after hours and they know what
nights not to expect me for dinner.
Remember to synch often..PDA’s do crash.
Brad Shollenberger, DPM, Reading, PA,
NOHAV@aol.com
I use mine multiple times a day. I couldn't
imagine practicing competently without it. I am
an Advocate for Epocrates, having used it for
many years and being part of their user base
that presents their experiences with the
program. I use it especially for checking for
interactions with pt's on multi drug regimens
before I add another drug to see if there is a
problematic interaction. I also check on
specific of drugs I want to prescribe. It gets
updated every day on the Internet. It also
provides me numerous articles I can pick to get
in detail by e-mail.
The prescribing program I use, also daily is
iScribe by Advance PCS. I have used it since
they were first a startup. I produce legible
laser-printed prescriptions that meet al my
states rules. It also gives me management and
recall information about an individual pt or a
particular drug. I was able to find every pt I
had written for Vioxx and send them letters to
stop taking it. I use a portable keyboard to
write the Rx's
Thompson PDR stepped up to the plate last year
after several conversations with their new
director and add me to their user base. I
understand they now have added podiatrists to
the list of eligible users. I also use the PDA &
keyboard to take notes at meetings and then sync
it into my word processing program when I get
home.
Andrew I. Levy, DPM, Palm Beach Gardens, FL,
AndrewLevyDPM@aol.com
