PDA for Family Physician

[alleymo]

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Hello all. I have been using the Palm Vx for MANY years (approx 7 years), and I think it is starting to die (it keeps crashing). I just finished my FP residency, and would like to (at the minimum), run epocrates, an EKG program, and a geriatric medicine program. I don't know how the combo phone/palm thing would work- I'm assuming since the technology is constantly evolving, and phones burn out quicker than palms, I would have to purchase a new treo or whatever every 2-3 years, which I am loathe to do. Do you have any recommendations? 😕

 

[deleted77919]

If you are wary of the phone pda combo I would check out the Palm TX. It will run any medical program you need to, has wifi, bluetooth, etc.

In my experience treo's work out better for people who constantly travel and need to be able to check their e-mail and access the internet when away from wifi. This is not an issue in most family medicine practice environments (perhaps it would be different if you did lots of house calls).

 

[deleted87716]

Even the E2 would be sufficient.

 

[brown36]

hi,

i was just about to post to ask if anyone had some advice regarding PDA's and what programs would be good to have for a family medicine resident and i saw alleymo's post. thanks dakota and kentw for your input. does anyone else have any suggestions?

alleymo, i also heard that the phone/pda combos tend to be problematic after a year or so.

 

[deleted87716]

i also heard that the phone/pda combos tend to be problematic after a year or so.

I've had a Treo 650 for a couple of years now, and it's no less reliable than any other Palm OS device I've had. As a phone, it's more reliable than some popular Motorola handsets that I've used in the past, too.

There are lots of good PDA-related threads on the Tech Forum.

 

[deleted77919]

ask if anyone had some advice regarding . . . what programs would be good to have for a family medicine resident

I'm curious about this as well. EM guys seem to love PEPID (for EM). I've had good experiences with ePocrates and 5MCC, but what else do you guys use for FM specifically?

 

[deleted87716]

I mostly relied on a drug reference and general medical reference. I tried lots of different options over the years, including LexiDrugs, ePocrates, Tarascon, etc. for drugs, and 5MCC, Outlines in Clinical Medicine, Harrison's, etc. for medicine.

Currently, I'm using Tarascon and the Palm OS version of UpTodate.

ePocrates Essentials is a pretty good all-in-one option, as well.

 

[ramonaquimby]

ePocrates Essentials is a pretty good all-in-one option, as well.

i use it too...it's very very good, imo. the only bummer is that you have to pay for it every year...but i loved it enough to resubscibe, so i think that says a lot.

i use a TX, btw and LOVE it (the screen 'real estate' is priceless!)