PDA hardware & pharmacy software?

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sandy tran

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15+ Year Member
Hi all,

This is my first time to need a PDA for my pharmacy rotation next year. I heard something about pocket PC. So which hardware is the best choice & what brand? Also, what pharmacy software is the best?
Please please help if any...
thanks a lot🙂
 
not sure on your specific needs..... you should be able to load this on the ipod touch as well.


[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=6P_fDSvLECM[/youtube]
 
sandy tran said:
Hi all,

This is my first time to need a PDA for my pharmacy rotation next year. I heard something about pocket PC. So which hardware is the best choice & what brand? Also, what pharmacy software is the best?
Please please help if any...
thanks a lot🙂
Click to expand...

First off, which software are you considering? LexiComp sounds like a really good resource and I've seen a lot of pharm students using it. From what the guy from LexiComp said that came to our school, you can use either pocket pc, blackberry or palm. They don't have the application to work on the iPhone yet, but they are working on it. I personally prefer palm to pocket pc because I have found it easier to deal with. You can pick up a tungsten e2 on ebay for a pretty reasonable price and that's all you would need. If you are one that has to have your cell with you, I would suggest getting a treo (or some other smart phone), they have versions that use both pocket pc and palm depending on your carrier. I tried using two devices and it got frustrating b/c I would forget my palm sometimes and it felt like I was wearing the batman utility belt. Just some food for thought.

PS: I can't remember exactly how it's spelled, but there's another program called either hippocrates or some other greek derived name. It's mainly used by hospital/clinical pharmacists and it also will work well on palm powered devices.
 
Does anyone know when Epocrates will be available for the iPhone without having internet connection?
 
I'm in the same boat here, I have verizon so if I'm going to get a phone/PDA then I'm limited to either a blackberry or a treo. I'm leaning towards the blackberry because I've played with them before so I'm slightly familiar with them, but does anyone use a treo?
 
RxWildcat: i wouldn't suggest the blackberry because i think they use their own operating system that's not compatible with the drug info programs. I'm pretty sure that Lexi, Epocrates, Micromedex only support Windows Mobile, Palm, and soon iPhone's OS. Since you have verizon, the VX6900 is their latest Windows Mobile phone and would support what you're looking for.

I recommend the AT&T Tilt with Lexi-Drugs and some free programs from Skyscape and Merck Medicus. If you're up for a new contract, the Tilt is pretty cheap if you sign a contract or if you know a place that you can get overseas unlocked phones, go with any of the recent HTC phones with Windows Mobile. If you're relatively tech-saavy, you can hack the phones to be really customizable and most programs are more compatible with WM than other operating systems. The HTC phones may be pretty expensive but the $400 i spent on the tilt (without contract) is worth it to not have to carry an extra device along with my cell phone that has wi-fi, a 3mp camera, MP3 player along with my drug info programs. By the way, I'm using the Tilt with T-Mobile since their plans are cheaper. It's relatively easy to unlock it to accept SIM cards other than AT&T's.
 
I actually have an Dell Axim x50v and so far, it have performed really well. I have Epocrates along with that and eDictionary.

Two of my friends also have the Dell Axim PDA line but Dell stop manufacturing it so your best bet is to get one on eBay.
 
Verizon doesn't advertise it well, but if you wish for a PDA phone, the best they carry is the Samsung SCH-i760. It is Windows Mobile 6 Professional, and comes with a numeric keypad on the front.

I have had mine since November and don't have issues running Epocrates. I also had Thompson's and Lexi-comp trials on for a while. No internet connection necessary except for updates.

Kyle
 
Unless you are drawn to palm for price or size... I can see little reason to buy a palm device these days.

Most major programs are written for both platforms. And with http://www.styletap.com/ you can run pretty much any palm program that isn't on ppc.

It seems ever more clear to me that the current incarnation of palm is dead (has been dying for a while). They didn't even bother to develop a bt 2.0 stack for the most recent devices... see centro, it has a 2.0 radio with 1.2 software.

While palm is supposed to eventually launch a linux based OS in the hopes to rebuild, I don't think they will ever regain what they once had. Personally, I think it will come too late; I believe that google et al's android will be the new "palm."

alas, I've been wrong before.... I thought hd-dvd would win 🙂
 
Any suggestions for a Sprint customer? I've been checking out the HTC mogul and it looks really cool with all the features and mods. But it seems a bit pricey, and I'm not sure about the plans you'd have to buy with it. Would you recommend that or a cheaper alternative?
 
xxfoolxx said:
i wouldn't suggest the blackberry because i think they use their own operating system that's not compatible with the drug info programs. I'm pretty sure that Lexi, Epocrates, Micromedex only support Windows Mobile, Palm, and soon iPhone's OS.
Click to expand...

Actually, that's incorrect. Virtually all software from Lexi-Comp is available for Blackberry, as is Epocrates. Also, there are dozens of compatible programs offered by Skyscape.

To the OP and anyone else in the market, take any comments about BlackBerry devices with a grain of salt. Lots of people are unfamiliar with modern BlackBerrys and post incorrect and unfavorable information based upon past experiences or preconceived notions influenced by outdated equipment. (No offense intended, xxfoolxx.) Any current BlackBerry will accommodate just about any medical software of interest to you, but they're not for everyone. Try before you buy. In my opinion, they are very stable devices that handle email better than anything, and web browsing is second only to the iPhone.
 
I ended up getting the blackberry curve, but I haven't gotten a chance to download any software yet. I'll give you guys a review when I can play with it a little bit.
 
impulz3 said:
Any suggestions for a Sprint customer? I've been checking out the HTC mogul and it looks really cool with all the features and mods. But it seems a bit pricey, and I'm not sure about the plans you'd have to buy with it. Would you recommend that or a cheaper alternative?
Click to expand...
If you're going for sprint, try your hardest to get on a SERO plan assuming you're the only one on your plan.
$30 for 500 minutes with unlimited* text, picturemail and internet(this might get limits in july, at 5gb/mo). hard to beat all that. Other than that, sprint doesn't make you get smartphone plans like some companies,
As for phones, you gotta pay if you want to play. If you've got to have a cheapish phone, NOW, the centro is going to be the cheapest smartphone (but it is palmOS)
Personally, I'd be waiting for Oct-Dec (Q4 '08) that is when the replacements for the touch and the mogul are expected on sprint.
do a search for HTC diamond and you'll see what's worth waiting for.
aside from the eye candy, it has a more than 25% faster processor and 50% more ram vs the current touch, no microsd, but 4gb builtin memory and a VGA screen. the Raphael is supposed to be diamond minus 4gb built in plus slideout keyboard (and I presume it will have a microsd slot). But these probably won't meet your cheap requirement.
 
Knipps said:
as did I. 😡

I'll keep this thread in mind when I get my new phone over the summer, most likely the T-mobile Dash
Click to expand...


Hi, I was wondering if you were able to install MICROMEDEX on dash. I was not able to do so.
 
RxWildcat said:
I ended up getting the blackberry curve, but I haven't gotten a chance to download any software yet. I'll give you guys a review when I can play with it a little bit.
Click to expand...

OK, 2 months have passed.. pick software yet? 😀
 
I've been using epocrates, its OK for the most part but its somewhat limited. I want to get micromedex or lexicomp though because I know they are both a little more in depth. But hey, epocrates is free so what can you expect.
 
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