20 iPad Apps Every Doctor Must Have

This is a guest post by Melissa Tamura. Contact me if you'd like to submit an article. 

20 iPad Apps Every Doctor Must Have

Apple has already stated that iPhone apps will function on the iPad. However, there are also an abundance of current or upcoming apps that no doctor should be caught being without.

1. Blausen Human Atlas. This application is designed to better improve the communication between patients and physicians. Instead of explaining cholecystitis to a patient, a patient could look at videos which better explain them and 3D figures to explain the required surgery.
2. Visual Dx Mobile. This is more of a reference tool than anything, condensing a huge library of medical knowledge into novel format. Its ability to “Find a Diagnosis” is also useful in finding images and further information.
3. Procedures Consult. This is actually a series of applications that offer a wealth of information with regards to medical procedures. A voice narrates throughout informational videos, including those for post-procedure, which highlight important things such as submitting pleural fluid to the laboratory.
4. OsiriX. Recently, this application was used to accurate diagnose a case of acute appendicitis, and it is a mind-blowing experience seeing how well it produces radiology images. Save the trip to the office and reference pictures on this application.
5. Papers. As the name suggests, it is easy to reference papers from this application – specifically, research papers.
6. MDiTV (coming soon). This application is one that streams live videos of surgeries for reference purposes.
7. Grays Anatomy Premium. This application contains thousands of images and comes in at a large download because of that. However, these images can be searched and used to show patients reference pictures or for a doctor to reference him or herself.
8. MD On Call. This will offer residents and medical students essential information to live by when they are on call. The extra space the iPad offers makes it easier to read algorithms on-screen.
9. Dragon Dictation (coming soon). This free application will allows a doctor to dictate words to it and record them for patients or themselves.
10. Wikipanion (coming soon). Though not technically a medical application, it still functions well for medical references upon searching the appropriate terms.
11. Pocket Medicine. Doctors can use the index, drug reference or an algorithm list in order to locate information per diagnosis, or per symptom.
12. 5 Minute Clinical Consult. Powered by Skyscape, this application stores the 715 most common medical conditions and rapid access to treatment, symptoms, follow-up and medications.
13. Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics (coming soon). A joint partnership of Washington University School of Medicine and Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, this application offers the same as the 5 Minute Clinical Consult but also offers tables and graphics relating to the condition.
14. Clinical Orthopedic Exam (coming soon). This application offers several medical videos to show patients who need a better understanding of different diseases. However, it does have a lack of audio.
15. Writing Pad. This is a notepad-like application, on which a doctor can be free of pen, paper and handwriting. Different colors can be used to highlight portions.
16. iTriage (coming soon). This application gives more options to patients, with options to call 911, research diseases, find a doctor and more.
17. Xprompt. For foreign patients, this application allows for better communications when doctors and patients speak different languages.
18. GI Monitor. This allows doctors and patients to track their symptoms with a user-friendly interface.
19. PubMed Mobile (coming soon). This allows doctors to remotely access PubMed to save articles relevant to their situation for future reference.
20. Low Back Pain Clinical Management Guidelines. This is rather self-explanatory; this offers a reference to guidelines patients should follow when dealing with lower back pain.

Melissa Tamura writes for the Zen College Life directory of online degrees. She most recently wrote about the top online colleges.