Top 10 Apps for Physicians

Apps for physicians are quickly replacing the wall of books, journals, periodicals, and stacks of paper that dot a doctor’s office. The onslaught of tablet devices has made it easier for doctors to carry around a library of information in the palms of their hands. But the most popular medical apps go beyond simply acting as a reference and create interactive capabilities or even the ability to run the business. Here are a few portable assistants to fill up a physician’s tablet or mobile device:

10. DG Apps

An app to find the best apps, DG Apps works because even the best apps on this list may be outdated within a year. DG Apps takes the best apps for healthcare professionals and sorts them into an easily digestible list. And unlike some other app-of-apps, DG focuses solely on the best apps for physicians and their practices, not those directed towards patients.

9. STAT ICD-10 Coder

This app allows for physicians to quickly look up codes for certain diagnosis in the latest version of STAT ICD-10. The app comes with a bit of an asterisk, as there is no direct search function (a la Google). Instead doctors must search from broad categories like “infectious,” “neoplasms,” or “eye, adnexa” and narrow their search category by category. A similar app, STAT ICD-9 Lite, offers a little more in terms of ease-of-use but doesn’t include latest diagnosis coding. With the latest changes, sometimes the best apps for physicians are those with the most up-to-date information.

8. MedAbbreviations: Medical Abbreviations Reference

Physicians spend nearly a decade or more in school studying every aspect of their profession. But sometimes, even the best physicians can’t remember the shorthand description for a condition or for a chemical in a procedure, like radioactive iodine (131I). With over 14,000 abbreviations, the app is a useful tool for both physician and staff alike to communicate better. The app also gives definitions and explanations for further reference.

7. Healix

A free app that gives doctors tools to manager the business practice, Healix acts as a giant administration tool for the overview of a doctor’s practice. One of the better apps for physicians, Healix helps doctors keep a schedule, update a patient roster, and view financial performance of a practice, all in real-time.

6. DocBook MD

DocBook MD acts as a free communication interface between physicians and staff in a single practice or hospital, or even a medical society, allowing doctors to transfer X-rays, EKGs, and other patient information directly from their mobile devices. On top of data transfer, groups of physicians can communicate on message boards within the app.

5. Healthcare Finance News

Let’s face facts, following the money generally leads to the heart of most issues in the medical world. Linking to the medical news site healthcarefinancenews.com, the app today focuses mainly on two things: national healthcare and investment in all things hospital and healthcare.  Seeing where the money goes makes this one of the better apps for physicians.

4. Rounds List (HIPAA)

A cloud-based HIPAA compliant inpatient rounding list that allows all users on one network to share patient information. Global messaging, HIPAA compliant security systems, checklist systems for staff, administration functions, the ability to save clinical pictures and daily lab values, the Rounds List puts all this information, once confined to multiple charts and reports, into one place for an entire practice to see. A must for any practice, as U.S. government crackdowns on HIPAA violations is increasing.

3. Medical Wizards Library

The mobile reference library with detailed guides for every specialty, from emergency medicine and critical care to hematology and neurology. Easy search options, 100s of add-on options for nearly every medical specialty, the Medical Wizards Library app basically takes over where your book-bound reference guides end. The app starts as a 10-day trial, then users must pay based off of which specialty reference guides they want or need.

2. Epocrates

The No. 1 mobile drug reference among U.S. physicians, Epocrates offers easy access to reliable drug, disease, and diagnostic information at the point of care. A free version offers pills identification by imprint code, checks for interactions between drugs, calculators for BMI and GFR, but more advanced versions contain evidenced-based treatment, a medical dictionary, and more, depending if doctor pays the $99, $159, or $199 annual fee for each suite of products.

1. MedScape

The free app delivers news from WebMD’s Medscape.com as well as clinical references for drugs (safety information, interaction), diseases, conditions, procedures, and even links to continued education in multiple medical fields. The news portion remains MedScape’s best feature, keeping doctors informed on everything, from legal to clinical trials, through an easy accessible interface.

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