Apple introduces "iPhone" medical device

The accelerometer can tell you whether or not you've got an ear, or are lying flat. That's medically useful information, right?

You could probably very easily create a program to view medical imaging files. This is a wireless device, so you could send them to your iPhone and view them where ever and whenever you need to. Did you see that google maps demo? Yeah, like that, only with MRI images.

You could use this device as a case note manager. You could keep a database of prescriptions you write out to customers on this. You could track incoming tchotkies or golf dates with pharmaceutical company sales reps.

:) It's really not too hard to think of all kinds of ways you will want to use this thing.

You could watch medical procedure videos from google video. So many ways you can justify buying one. :)

Mac also has "widgets" which can be used on the iPhone. You could, for instance, have a widget that tells you the Homeland Security alert level (and thus tell you when you need to start running to your hospital). Or maybe someone will make a drug calculator.

Since you can browse the internet, you also have access to online drug references. Or even visit the company website of the drug to get their patient information sheet.

Cool.

"You could, for instance, have a widget that tells you the Homeland Security alert level (and thus tell you when you need to start running to your hospital)"

Bahahhahahah. That's my favorite.

You know, all joking aside there will come the day when all of our med information (allergies, scripts, etc) are on a slick little device like this such that in the event of an emergency, all of the info would be there. It's not too far fetched to say that it could also dial out for emergencies and contact your primary care physicians, etc.

And of course it will have wireless access to the built in bluetooth defibrillator permanently embedded into your chest. Just don't confuse the "send" button with the "Clear!" button. :)

All joking aside, I want to know if the mysterious demi-Mac OSX will run Epocrates or the like. Sure, you could get the same information off the web, but it's apt to be slower. If I can run basic medical software on the iPhone, which is why med students like me need PDAs, I'll shell out for the 8GB without a trace of guilt.

Other uses; put a mini eye chart image in there. Photos of your fifty not-quite-memorable-enough skin disorders. Get a series of sounds, at known volumes and frequencies, and you can do some hearing tests. Load phrasebooks for your local non-English-speaking clients. Drip calculations are going the way of the dodo bird, but I know some people who still struggle with their dopamine doses in codes (I'm also a medic.)

I want one, can you tell?

For my Treo, I have only one non-Palm program that is essential: ePocrates. I also have TomTom Navigator, which is a nice plus, and a fun toy, but not essential. I did use HandiBase for a while, but stopped, and haven't missed it.

Bottom line is: if iPhone does not support ePocrates, then I will not be buying one, no matter how cool it is.

Regards,

Spida

very simple. someone needs to put actual pager frequency capability into a cell phone/pda. I am sick of carrying my palm and my pager. needless.

The iPhone could be used by medical personel in a hospital to perform charting in the Intensive Care Unit and could be used as a electronic medical database because the device is small.

Hi. I've loved my iPhone since day one. However, I still carry my Palm OS based PDA to work for ePocrates. I've tried ePocrates Online and Unbound Medicine's UCentral clinical suite and have found both to be frustratingly slow via EDGE or even WiFi when compared to Palm. Because of this I've created a petition to encourage Apple to support 3rd party medical software that will run directly on the iPhone. Please follow the link below if you would like to sign it and leave a comment for Apple/ePocrates:
http://www.geeknuz.com/nuz/2007/07/add-your-name-1.html

Agree with all of the above. Epocrates, iSilo (for NCI Cancer Staging and Treatment guidelines), and memos are the only reasons why I stick with the Palm rather than go to an iPhone. But these for me are essential.

hi all,

i today tried my web versions of unbounds davis drugs and tabers and they come up very quickly and useable in the office setting with a broadband wireless connection on my windows mobile pda/phone, quite comparable to the speed when i use those very same programs as 3rd party software prev installed on the device.

i am interested in the iphone as well and based on this since i am in my offices 90+ % of my work time it seems quite feasable to use these, and more programs.

i had epocrates for a few yrs and was happy until the device failed numerous times in synching it so i switched to skyscape and unbound and they are quite comparable for my uses...just a thought as i will purchase an iphone this wk and try it for the 14 days to see.....it has a decent camera for lesions, 8 gb for loading the photos, soonR over the web for obtaining all of my 8000+ soap notes from the past few yrs,etc., ...we'll see!

dan

As a paramedic it is nice to be able to use the iPhone to look up the latest drug information.

I happily switched from Palm Treo to iPhone and love it. I must say, I do miss my Epocrates Rx but was elated to find out that there is an iPhone version now. I've tried it and it's very snappy and responsive, even on EDGE. There is a write up on it at http://www.touchtip.com/iphone-and-ipod-touch/iphone-and-ipod-touch-helping-doctors-help-you/ which also discusses the other Mac software I use in my practice.

We have a web-based dental application (www.planetdds.com) that we've interfaced with the iPhone. A dentist can review patient charts, history, radiographs, reports, Rxs, appointment schedules, etc. In other words, he or she has full access to our practice management application via the iPhone.

New iPhone medical apps with more to come. The possibilities are almost endless when it comes to relevant medical application on the iPhone--even more so when the SDK is released in February.

MacPractice has developed an interface of their Mac OS X practice management software on the iphone.

http://www.macpractice.com/mp/iphone/

Hi Epocrates Supporters!

We noticed most of you have expressed interest in medical technology for the new iPhone or iPod touch devices. We recently announced that the free Epocrates Online web-based drug reference is now available in a format that's optimized for the Apple devices.

Simply point your Safari browser to http://m.epocrates.com/iphone to access continually updated monographs for more than 3,300 drugs.

While it�s not currently possible to download Epocrates software to an iPhone device, Apple recently announced that in early 2008 software developers will be able to begin to create applications for iPhone devices. We are excited to explore the opportunity to offer our mobile products on this new platform as well.

For BlackBerry fans, a new version of Epocrates free mobile application is now available via a wireless download, visit: http://www.epocrates.com/products/rx/blackberry.html

Best regards!
The Epocrates Team

You can also use your iPhone to find discounted generic drugs for your patients with GenericMedList - it has iPhone optimized content.

For a screen shot of GenericMedList visit
http://medicaliphone.blogspot.com/2008/02/genericmedlist.html

To access GenericMedList on your iPhone, vist
http://genericmedlist.com

Comments and suggestions on how to improve GenericMedList for the iPhone are appreciated

Thanks
Robert
GenericMedList development team

I managed to instal the entire Merck Manual in my Ipod touch (jailbroken of course). This is how I did it: using a program called offline explorer, I downloaded the entire merck manual online (250 Mb), and saved it as html, with all folder structure. Using cute-ftp, I loaded it in my ipod touch. Than I installed a plugin (available through CYDIA) that allows opening local files using safari. Finally, I set a bookmark to the html files. Now I have the entire merck manual with pictures, tables, and even PDF files within Merck manual can be opened, portrait or landscape, with zoom. I can navigate using hyperlinks.

A recent article published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that a simple 19-step safety checklist in the operating room can significantly reduce post-operative complications.

Specifically, death after surgery was reduced by more than 40%.

QxMD Software has adapted this cutting edge research in the user friendly iPhone App Safe OR - designed to allow physicians to instantly change medical practice in response to new research findings.

View the Press Release

Learn more at www.SafeOR.org or download from iTunes.

You can use the accelerometer to predict a trauma causing accident is occurring. That information can be transmitted to the owner's insurance provider. The insurance provider then can immediately cancel the user's insurance policy, thereby saving the insurance provider thousands of dollars.