What's New

July 29, 2002

 
New Skyscape Titles

If you do any inpatient medicine, you might be interested in a couple of new releases from Skyscape. Hospital Medicine Essentials provides quick answers to more than 210 clinical problems seen in the inpatient setting. The Handbook of Evidence-Based Critical Care provides access to critical data in therapeutic decision-making.

Furthermore, Skyscape is currently offering a Residency Promotion for all residents and medical students. This is only for a limited time and offers group discounts up to 35%! To take advantage of this promotion, please email residencypromo@skyscape.com directly for details.
posted by Kent 5:56 PM | |

July 27, 2002

 
HanDBase 3.0 - Just What the Doctor Ordered

One of the most powerful database programs for healthcare applications just got better!

HanDBase 3.0 includes a host of new technologies and enhancements seemingly designed with healthcare providers in mind.

The peer-to-peer synchronization feature in particular has very practical applications in healthcare. A physician using a patient-tracking database, for example, can now beam their updated patient data to their peers as they make their shift changes, giving users the freedom to share their data without using a central database server as "middleware."

Data security is a hot issue in healthcare these days, especially when sensitive data is stored on very small, portable devices that are easily lost or stolen. HanDBase 3.0 includes several new encryption options, including the unique ability to encrypt only the fields that are private and sensitive information. As a result, HanDBase claims to be HIPAA-compliant.

Other new features include Virtual File System (VFS) support, which enables users to store and work from databases on expansion memory cards on Palm OS handhelds. This should permit the use of large database without sacrificing a significant amount of built-in RAM. Further, the calculator now supports advanced math and logarithmic functions, such as trigonometry, square root, rounding, and power.

HanDBase is also launching several new add-on programs, including a Forms Designer, and Sync Exchange for Microsoft Access and ODBC data files.

Clearly, HanDBase recognizes the importance of healthcare applications, and has responded with some long-awaited enhancements that will be tremendously valuable to those of us in medicine.
posted by Kent 12:49 PM | |

July 23, 2002

 
MD net guide PDA Issue

The July issue of MD net guide, dedicated to handheld computing, is now online here. Featured articles include "PDA Basics" by Gary Stephen Nace and myself, and "Killer App 101 - Finding the Perfect Medical Software for Your PDA" by Larry Chu. Also, be sure to check out "What's on Your Handheld", an interview with eight practicing physicians discussing their handheld histories, habits, and preferences.
posted by Kent 11:38 PM | |

 
PDAs, the Doctor's Latest Bedside Helper

An article in today's Newsday.com discusses a Palm project at Long Island Jewish Medical Center:

"In recent years, a rise in medical errors has led hospitals throughout the country to rethink the way medicine is practiced. Some see hand-held devices as part of the solution since they are equipped with programs that check drug interactions, spew out potential side effects, provide alternate treatment options and educate on the latest scientific advances."

More information on the Palm project at Long Island Jewish Medical Center may be found on their Web site.
posted by Kent 11:31 PM | |

July 11, 2002

 
Compendica

Compendica's introductory offer of $10 for Psychiatry 2002 will conclude on Sunday, July 21st. In response to user feedback, they're working on a new release of Psychiatry 2002 with added content and other enhancements. Users who have purchased the original version will be able to upgrade for free. Expect new products and enhancements in the upcoming months! If you have additional ideas, send them to feedback@compendica.com.
posted by Kent 11:43 PM | |

 
MedCalc Update

Mathias Tschopp's excellent freeware medical calculator MedCalc has just been updated. Version 4.1 adds support for Palm OS 5, a pediatric addition to the Glasgow coma scale, and the usual bug fixes.
posted by Kent 6:53 PM | |

 
Another Satisfied Customer

PC Magazine recently published the results of a survey of PDA users regarding service and reliability. According to this survey, the manufacturers of Palm OS–based PDAs clearly outperform Palm's rivals, including Pocket PC manufacturers. A .pdf file showing the actual survey results may be found here.

The PC Magazine survey was based on feedback from more than 15,000 randomly selected readers regarding their satisfaction level with the technology products and services they use, including desktops, notebooks, servers, printers, ISPs, digital cameras, handhelds, and home-networking gear. The study evaluated everything from reliability, the quality and frequency of repairs and technical support, to the respondents' willingness to buy again from the same company.
posted by Kent 6:27 PM | |

July 10, 2002

 
MD net guide PDA Issue

MD net guide integrates both electronic and print media to provide physicians with user-friendly access to online medical content. The July, 2002 issue will be dedicated to PDAs (and yes...that's me on the cover). If you're not already a subscriber, you can sign up here. The July issue isn't available as of this writing, but look for it soon.
posted by Kent 7:14 PM | |

July 9, 2002

 
It's All In The Wrist

While not specific to medicine, Fossil's new $145.00 (MSRP) Wrist PDA may just be the ultimate companion to your handheld device!


The infrared interface quickly and easily downloads information from the four built-in applications on your Palm OS device into your Wrist PDA. The watch has 190KB of memory (the equivalent of 1,100 contacts, 800 appointments, 5,000 to-do notes or 350 memos). It uses an application on the Palm OS device, which can be installed directly from the Wrist PDA, to customize the information that is relayed to the watch's memory. The Wrist PDA is a little bulky, measuring 1.73 inches by 1.97 inches by 0.59 inch and weighing 2.6 ounces. It runs on an 8-bit Epson processor and is water-resistant up to 30 meters. For the style-conscious, there are interchangeable faceplates available. Of course, like any good digital watch, it also displays the time and date. Two three-volt lithium coin batteries provide power, and Fossil claims a battery life of around one-and-a-half to three months, depending on usage. There isn't any means of data entry other than the ability to receive up to 20 business cards from other Palm users.

Even though it's read-only, the Wrist PDA might be handy for those times when even something as slim as a Palm m500 series handheld is more than you want to carry around, or when you're engaging in activities that risk damage to your PDA.
posted by Kent 8:27 PM | |

July 8, 2002

 
Just ran across this extensive list of medically-related Palm links over at Medscout. You might want to bookmark this one.
posted by Kent 10:17 PM | |

 
A new version of the MedMath freeware medical calculator is available. Although a relatively minor update, version 1.21 clarifies MELD scores (MedMath now calculates both the original Mayo score for prognostic information and UNOS score for transplant allocation), and fixes several bugs.
posted by Kent 6:42 PM | |

 
EEGs are a SNAP

Although I doubt I'll ever have any use for this, anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists might be interested in SNAP, the new EEG module for the Handspring Visor. SNAP transforms the Visor into an EEG monitoring tool.

SNAP is a single-channel EEG device that uses a unique approach for monitoring anesthesia's effect on EEG. It combines high- and low-frequency EEG signal analysis to provide the SNAP Index. Derived from the power spectrum of the acquired EEG signal, the SNAP Index is a real-time indication of anesthesia's effect on the state of the brain. The SNAP trend is presented to the clinician to support evaluation of the brain state over time.
posted by Kent 6:23 PM | |

July 4, 2002

 
Handheld Computers in Medicine

Here is a Web-based version of a PowerPoint presentation entitled Handheld Computers in Medicine that I delivered at the Eastern Virginia Medical School Family Medicine Review Course in Virginia Beach on June 12th. There is currently no transcript available of the talk itself, but you should be able to get the gist of it.
posted by Kent 11:58 AM | |

July 3, 2002

 
Crozer-Keystone Palm Site

A former residency colleague of mine, Don Klingen, now director of medical informatics at the Crozer-Keystone Family Practice Residency in Philadelphia, has created an excellent web site devoted to medical informatics and Palm OS handhelds. The PDA section features Internet links, a PDA model comparision, and some very well-done tutorials. Check it out! While you're there, don't forget to take the derm quiz.
posted by Kent 9:05 PM | |

 
Evidence-Based Diagnosis

Skyscape keeps cranking out new titles. Among the releases to appear recently is InfoRetriever co-author Mark Ebell's Evidence-Based Diagnosis, containing over 150 clinical prediction rules. Designed as an aid in diagnosis and treatment, Evidence-Based Diagnosis allows clinicians to make more accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions while helping to eliminate superfluous testing at point of care.
posted by Kent 8:21 PM | |

 
Closer To Fine

"Convergence", or the melding of various devices (e.g., PDA, pager, mobile phone) into one, continues to be the Holy Grail of handheld computing. Coming soon is the Kyocera 7135, a smartphone running Palm OS 4.1 which will feature 16MB of RAM, an SD expansion slot, and a 16-bit color display in addition to MP3 playback capabilities, a-GPS, voice-activated dialing, a vibrating alarm, and SMS messaging. Could this be the all-in-one device you've been waiting for? Click on the photo for a hi-res version.
posted by Kent 6:00 PM | |

Visit the Archives for previous news items.