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Guide to Freeware PDA Resources for Medicine and Nursing

This guide provides a brief introduction to the use of PDAs in the health sciences. It links to free medical software resources for PDAs available from UPenn and the internet.
Contents:
PDA Basics
PDAs are sometimes called "Personal Digital Assistants" or "handheld computers." PDAs are practical handheld computers that can bring vital medical information and resources to the places you need it the most, whenever you need it--even at the bedside. You can customize your PDA to meet your needs by adding software to it with a few simple clicks. At the most basic level they are electronic agendas, with datebooks, calculators, and blank files to take notes in. However, they are also powerful mini-computers: you can use them to run programs, like medical calculators, or to look up drug information, or to store your own electronic documents. High-end models can connect to the internet and can send email.

Like desktop and laptop computers, PDAs come in two flavors: Windows-based and Palm-based. Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages. One may be more comfortable for you to use than the other, but your school, deparment, or service may only support one of the two. Your colleagues may all use one particlar PDA. PDA's can run from $99 to more than $500, so talk to your IT department and your colleagues for suggestions before you make a purchase.

UPenn's Computing Services has developed a buying guide to help you pick the PDA that will best meet your needs.

UPenn Computing's PDA Buyer's Guide
Free PDA Software

Drug Reference Software

Drug reference software programs are convenient, portable databases of thousads of drugs, their traits, indications and counterindications, dosages, and interaction information, and can help you to make safer drug decisions.

EPocrates www.epocrates.com
Possibly the most widely-used drug reference available for PDA. Includes more than 3,300 brand and generic drugs, including dosing, interactions, black box warnings, safety and monitoring, adverse reactions, pricing, and more, a multiple-drug interaction checker, integrated health insurance formularies (including Medicare Part D formularies, and a medical calculator.

Johns Hopkins ABX Guide  Antibiotic Guide www.hopkins-abxguide.org/
The ABX Guide lets you search for information about antibiotic use by diagnosis, pathogen, or antibiotic. Free registration is required.

Mobile PDR www.pdr.net
Provides information for over 4,000 drugs. Includes a drug interaction reference, a toxicology screening feature, medical calculator, disease database, and an alternative medicine database.
Download the expanded UPenn-licensed version (Micromedex)

Medical Calculators for PDAs

PDA medical calculator programs allow you to accurately calculate necessary values for diagnosis and treatment. Many medical calculator programs are tailored for specific specialties. Search the internet or look in the list of web sites where you can purchase medical PDA programs to find more.

MedMath www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&prodid=4991
Written by a former resident at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, MedMath is a medical calculator for quick calculation of common formulas in adult internal medicine. Features more than 30 formulas.

Archimedes http://www.skyscape.com/EStore/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=227
A popular medical calculator that covers a wide range of specialties. Calculates more than 70 formulas for specialties including Cardiology, Pharmacology, Hematology, FEN, Pediatrics, Pulmonary and Renal.

Diagnostic Reference Software for PDAs

Access medical journals, evidence-based medicine guidelines, evidence summaries, reference texts, differential diagnosis tools, and drug references, all with one software program.

Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) for PDA http://epss.ahrq.gov/PDA/learnmore.jsp
This PDA tool from the Department of Health and Human Servicess is designed to help primary care clinicians identify the screening, counseling, and preventive medication services that are most appropriate for their patients. Searchable by specific patient characteristics including as age, sex, and selected behavioral risk factors.

Unbound Medicine, AccessMedicine, and MD Consult Click here for access
These multi-purpose tools are licensed by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Biomedical Library.


Patient Management Software

Patient Management Software is the 21st century-version of the spiral-bound notebook for patient notes. These programs organize patient histories, diagnoses, test orders, lab results, and treatment plans in one place.

WardWatch www.torlesse.com
Organizes list of patients as well as tests ordered and results for each individual. Available for Palm-based PDAs only.

PDA Security Software

In order to comply with HIPPA regulations, you need to keep the information on your PDA safe in the event that your handheld gets lost or stolen. Locking programs allow you to set a password for your PDA and can 'lock' your PDA at set time intervals in case you forget to. Some programs will encrypt the information on your handheld for better protection, and may include "infrared lockout," which will prevent the information on your PDA from being accessed wirelessly by nearby PDA users.

Lock Me! www.rene-witte.net/php/mod.php?mod=userpage&page_id=7
This free program that allows you to set a password on your PDA that activates at any interval that you set (e.g., every 24-hours, to every 4-hours). In case your PDA gets lost or stolen, you can make sure that it will be password protected.

Teal Lock www.tealpoint.com/softlock.htm
While this program is available for purchase only, it offers substantial protection for the information on your PDA. Security features include serial and infrared lockout, 128-bit data encryption for both memory and external SD/MS/CF cards, and optional data self-destruct modes to deter brute force attacks.

More Medical PDA Software

CollectiveMed www.collectivemed.com
A good site for a wide range of medical software, both freeware and software for purchase.

Skyskape www.skyscape.com/index/home.aspx
One of the premier medical software sites on the internet. Reliable and easy to search. Features downloadable medical texts and software, for purchase.

Medical PDA Buying Guides

PDA Cortex http://pdacortex.pdaorder.com/pdaorder/docs/help/buyersguide.xml
A PDA buyer's guide tailored for individuals in the medical fields.

The University of Pennsylvania and its libraries are not responsible for any damage to your PDA, your computer, or to information on your PDA or computer that resulted from use of the software mentioned on this page.

Please send comments to libref@mail.med.upenn.edu
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