Cool PDA applet

[leviathan]

To explain to your patient why they're not getting antibiotics for their sore throat.

http://www.appliedevidence.com/strepcalc.html

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[WilcoWorld]

How sad that a PDA is more convincing to patients than the judgement of their doctor.

"I'm not going to believe you. What have you got? An M.D.? Years of experience? A brain? Now that thing there - That's got a battery!"

Nonetheless, thanks Lev.

 

[LungMan]

A strep throat predictor???

That is just sad... what a waste of good pda memory space not to mention the waste of dignity for any medical provider that uses such a thing.

Maybe they need to come up with a "Brain Cell Predictor". Or "If you need a strep throat predictor maybe you need a different career" predictor...


LM

 

[Apollyon]

A strep throat predictor???

That is just sad... what a waste of good pda memory space not to mention the waste of dignity for any medical provider that uses such a thing.

Maybe they need to come up with a "Brain Cell Predictor". Or "If you need a strep throat predictor maybe you need a different career" predictor...


LM

A waste of dignity? "Brain Cell Predictor"? "Different career predictor"?

How about someone deriding a decision rule, or an "dingus post predictor"? Ever hear of "overkill"?

You seem to put too much import on this. Even if it is a "waste of good PDA memory space", everything else you posted is way, WAY too much, too insulting, rude, and, as I said, overkill.

Moreover, as was posted, all the talking you can do does not work with some patients, but they will shut up (for vague reasons), if you show them something written.

Finally, the OP just stated it was a PDA applet. YOU are the one stating that the OP needs it to do their job. Nowhere do I see this.

Maybe YOU need a "humility and civility" predictor - or not. You've already provided black-letter evidence that it will be negative.

 

[leviathan]

Hahaha, nice. This was mostly intended to be a humorous post directed at all the demanding and ignorant patients who don't understand why you're not giving them their meds. And yes, it can also be seriously used in this day and age when someone being a DOCTOR doesn't demand immediate and infallible respect and trust from a patient. Sometimes they will trust the word of research over the doc's own two cents (even though most quality physicians base their practice on evidence based medicine). Nevertheless, didn't expect to see someone (LungMan) getting their panties in such a tangled bunch over it!

 

[leviathan]

I have found this program to be very useful in the Emergency Department. I will use it most often with patients that have come in to "get some antibiotics to get rid of this @#$%! sore throat". Frequently they don't need antibiotics at all. I pull out my Palm and show them what the guidelines suggest we do based on their clinical features. I find that makes them much more accepting of a plan of action that includes only a throat swab, or no action at all. (Dr. JM)

Yeah, go figure in the 21st century, a patient doesn't necessarily always take the word of a doctor without question. In a way we can see this as a bad thing, but perhaps it is a good thing if people are less of sheep and more skeptical about what people tell them to do. I don't think ti's a bad thing if we convince patients to trust our treatment plans when we can show them that evidence based medicine in the form of a PDA applet derived from a study published in CMAJ.

 

[gro2001]

A decent dose of skepticism is a healthy thing. Whats sad is that often the same people who question every call their doc makes are the ones who religiously listen to their homeopaths and such.

 

[ccfccp]

WAIT WAIT WAIT!!! You mean I'm not supposed to be taking antibiotics every time I get a cold? When did this happen? Bollocks I say to you and your so called 'science.' Bollocks!

I knew I should have gone to class more often...