Value of PDAs in Clinical Practice and Education My Internal Medicine Perspective Lorenzo Di Francesco, MD, FACP Assistant Professor of Medicine Associate Program Director, GMH Co-Director, Hospital Medicine Unit Emory University School of Medicine March 27, 2003
Outline Overview of PDAs PDA uses Teaching Opportunities Examples Organizational Medical Teaching Opportunities Examples Quick reference Prediction rules Medical calculators EBM Pharmacopoeias
Key Points The Benefits of a PDA in Medicine point of care information replaces “lab coat syndrome” reduces need to memorize complex information encourages more “critical thinking” improves efficiency and safety of care promotes self learning and information sharing
PDA Types Operating System Palm OS Windows OS EPOC OS
Handspring Visor, Palm Pilot, TRG Pro, HandEra, Sony, IBM Palm OS Handspring Visor, Palm Pilot, TRG Pro, HandEra, Sony, IBM Advantages Cheap, small, track patients, abundant medical references Disadvantages Slower than Windows/EPOC. Screen smaller. Keyboard +/-
Casio, Compaq, HP, NEC, Dell Window CE OS Casio, Compaq, HP, NEC, Dell Advantages More complex multimedia capacity. Full sized colored screens, slots/ports for expansion. Disadvantages Larger, more expensive with less medical software to date. Battery life?
Symbian, Psion, Ericsson, Oregon Scientific EPOC OS Symbian, Psion, Ericsson, Oregon Scientific Advantages Most advanced (word processing, spread sheets, voice recording). Built in keyboards, long battery life. Disadvantages Larger, more expensive. Less software than Palm or Windows.
PDA uses Organizational Address book Calendar To Do lists Memo Pad Call schedules, conference dates, presentations, vacations etc… To Do lists Memo Pad Read/Write/Store email
PDA uses Organizational Procedure Logs Log Procedures (hometown.aol.com/roboh98/palm.html) Free Editable Ob/Surg logs requires HanDbase program
PDA uses Medical Patient tracking Patient billing Reference Prescription writing
Patient Tracking Patientkeeper (patientkeeper.com) PatientTracker (handheldmed.com) EPatient2000 (iatrosoft.com) Wardwatch (watch.aust.com) Raphael (pdamed.com) Mobile MedData (medcomsys.com) Rounder (synapsesoft.com) DDH HandEchart (ddhsoftware.com) DDH Patient HandChart (ddhsoftware.com) Hospital Rounds Database (solersys.com) OfficeNotes (midsouth.rr.com)
Patient Tracking Patientkeeper (patientkeeper.com) Versatile, powerful, modifiable Patient lists Patient H/P, SOAP notes Print Patient H/P, SOAP, checkout lists Beamable to other physicians
Billing IngeniousMed (Ingeniousmed.com) ZapBill (Zapmed.com) Pocketbilling (Pocketmed.com) MDcoder (mobiledesigntech.com) Chargekeeper (patientkeeper.com)
PDA information Accessing information Direct download Readers Plugins internet=>computer=>loaded to PDA with icon Readers internet=>computer=>loaded to PDA need a reader to view. Plugins SD/CF/springboard modules pre-loaded Internet connectivity wireless connection to internet=>PDA
Palm OS readers Doc readers isilo3 (isilo.com) Tealdoc (tealpoint.com) HanDbase (ddhsoftware.com) Jfile/Jfile Pro (land-j.com/jfile.html)
Reference Medical Textbooks Harrison’s (franklin.com) Cecil’s (skyscape.com) Merck Manual (handheldmed.com) 5 min consult (skyscape.com) Washington Manual (franklin.com)
Medical Calculators/Formulas/Prediction tools Reference Medical Calculators/Formulas/Prediction tools ABG pro (abgpro.com) MedMath (smiweb.stanford.edu/people/pcheng/medmath/) BreastCa (smiweb.stanford.edu/people/pcheng/medmath/) MedCalc (medcalc.med.ia.net) Medrules (pbrain.hypermart.net/) TIMI Risk Calculator (timi.org) Cardiac Clearance (statcoder.com) PregCalc (thenar.com) Anticoagulation Advisor (anticoagulation-advisor.com)
Reference ACC infoguide (infoguidecenter.com/acc) Stable Angina Cardiac Pacemakers Valvular Heart Disease MI Unstable angina NCI Cancer Staging and Tx (memoware.com) uses isilo Marik’s Differential Diagnosis (memoware.com) uses Isilo Lab Values 2 (memoware.com) uses HanDbase. Path Interpretation (memoware.com) uses HanDbase
Palm Image Viewers Fireviewer (firepad.com) Tinyviewer (righto.com/pilot/tv.html)
Reference Drug information Epocrates/QID (epocrates.com) A2zDrugs (skyscape.com) DrDrugs (skyscape.com) Mobilemicromedex (micromedex.com) Lexidrugs Platinum (lexi.com) PDR (pdr.com)
PDA Internet Pharmacy Prescribing PDA Internet Pharmacy Ephysician (ephysician.com) Iscribe (iscribe.com) Allscripts* (allscripts.com) Pocketscript* (pocketscript.com) *Pocket PC only
Teaching Opportunities with PDAs Point of Care Reference Textbook aortic dissection (HospMed) Guidelines bacterial meningitis rx (Sanfordguide) Differential diagnosis review lymphocytosis (Marik’s primer diff diag)
Teaching Opportunities with PDAs Prediction Rules Pre-test probability of disease predicting deep venous thrombosis (Medrules) Risk of disease predicting risk of breast cancer (BreastCa) Risk stratification stratify risk in unstable angina (TIMIcalc)
Teaching Opportunities with PDAs Medical Calculators Common equations ideal body weight (Medmath) Complicated equations change in plasma Na (MedCalc) acid base evaluations (ABGpro)
Teaching Opportunities with PDAs Evidence Based Medicine Post-test probability of disease pulmonary embolus spiral CT neg-sens 70% spec of 90% (Medmath) Number needed to treat beta blockers in chronic heart failure (EBM tables) Sensitivity and specificity Ottawa rules & ankle/midfoot fractures (EBM tables)
Teaching Opportunities with PDAs Pharmacopoeias Drug drug interactions (epocrates Rx) multiple drug interactions Cost effective prescribing motrin versus vioxx Prescribing safely in pregnancy/nursing bactrim
PDAs in Medicine Summary Inexpensive and pocket size Invaluable to modern practicing physicians Unlimited access to information Potential to improve patient care Potential to be used as a teaching tool