Here are five apps, available on smartphones or tablets, that allow gastroenterologists to enhance their interaction with patients, consume specialty news in one convenient spot and calculate key figures quickly.
1. Miniatlas Gastroenterology, $6.99, iOs devices. This app enables physicians to show patients a selection of nearly 90 illustrations and diagrams that help to explain digestive disorders. It includes illustrations of the anatomy of the digestive system — the swallowing reflex, the structure of the esophagus, bile production — that enable a physician to supplement a verbal explanation with a visual example when speaking with a patient. The app also features illustrations of medical conditions, including esophageal chest pain and gastroesophageal reflux.
2. JWatch Gastroenterology, $59.95 annually, all phones. From the publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine, this Journal Watch app aggregates medical news, research and patient care guidelines for gastroenterologists. It includes weekly news summaries, content from more than 30 general and specialty gastroenterology journals, and an index of key medical terminology.
3. eGoWorks, free with Endogo camera system, iOs devices. This app allows physicians to upload, store, manipulate and share endoscopic exam findings. Physicians can also generate reports, edit video and share images online in a HIPPA-compliant environment. While the app itself is free, it's intended for use with the Endogo portable endoscopic camera system, which ranges in price from $7,500 for the first generation device to $12,900 for the HD system. For physicians wanting to use the eGoWorks app without purchasing Endogo, there is a $1000 one-time account fee that includes 5 GB of storage space and two user accounts.
4. Calculate by QxMD, free, all phones. While this free app offers calculators for a wide range of specialists, gastroenterologists may find it particularly useful for calculating a patient's Blatchford score, Rockall score, Forrest Classification, Child-Pugh score, MELD scores, or the severity of pancreatitis using the APACHE II score, Ranson's criteria and the CT Severity index.
5. Endosync, pricing TBD, iPad. Set to release in early April, this tablet app accompanies the Endosync wireless video transmitter and EndoGo video camera. Using these devices together, any endoscope can send its video data wirelessly to an iPad, which replaces the traditional video monitor and functions as a report generator. The app represents a step toward endoscopic efficiency — the wireless transmitter, video camera and ipad combined can fit inside a small brief case, for example, rather than having to occupy a corner of a room as a traditional endoscopy video monitoring system would.
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1. Miniatlas Gastroenterology, $6.99, iOs devices. This app enables physicians to show patients a selection of nearly 90 illustrations and diagrams that help to explain digestive disorders. It includes illustrations of the anatomy of the digestive system — the swallowing reflex, the structure of the esophagus, bile production — that enable a physician to supplement a verbal explanation with a visual example when speaking with a patient. The app also features illustrations of medical conditions, including esophageal chest pain and gastroesophageal reflux.
2. JWatch Gastroenterology, $59.95 annually, all phones. From the publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine, this Journal Watch app aggregates medical news, research and patient care guidelines for gastroenterologists. It includes weekly news summaries, content from more than 30 general and specialty gastroenterology journals, and an index of key medical terminology.
3. eGoWorks, free with Endogo camera system, iOs devices. This app allows physicians to upload, store, manipulate and share endoscopic exam findings. Physicians can also generate reports, edit video and share images online in a HIPPA-compliant environment. While the app itself is free, it's intended for use with the Endogo portable endoscopic camera system, which ranges in price from $7,500 for the first generation device to $12,900 for the HD system. For physicians wanting to use the eGoWorks app without purchasing Endogo, there is a $1000 one-time account fee that includes 5 GB of storage space and two user accounts.
4. Calculate by QxMD, free, all phones. While this free app offers calculators for a wide range of specialists, gastroenterologists may find it particularly useful for calculating a patient's Blatchford score, Rockall score, Forrest Classification, Child-Pugh score, MELD scores, or the severity of pancreatitis using the APACHE II score, Ranson's criteria and the CT Severity index.
5. Endosync, pricing TBD, iPad. Set to release in early April, this tablet app accompanies the Endosync wireless video transmitter and EndoGo video camera. Using these devices together, any endoscope can send its video data wirelessly to an iPad, which replaces the traditional video monitor and functions as a report generator. The app represents a step toward endoscopic efficiency — the wireless transmitter, video camera and ipad combined can fit inside a small brief case, for example, rather than having to occupy a corner of a room as a traditional endoscopy video monitoring system would.
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