Tech & Tools

4medica Unveils Mobile App to Give Physicians 24/7 Access to Critical Data

4medica, the provider of a cloud software-as-a-service integrated EHR solution, recently launched the first version of its 4medica Mobile app for smartphones and tablets to give physicians 24/7 access to up-to-date clinical data whenever and wherever needed. Whether on rounds, at home, or working remotely, doctors can view critical laboratory, pathology, and radiology results; demographics; notes; patient lists; and trending data from multiple sources and render informed decisions via the iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry 6+, and Android smartphones and tablets.

For example, a physician can use 4medica Mobile to notify a patient of an abnormal test result in searching for and dialing that person’s phone number or find out if a test was previously performed. In essence, a handheld results reporting tool contributes to higher-quality care while supporting a more efficiently run medical operation through reductions in duplicate tests and costs associated with traditional results distribution methods (eg, fax, mailing, print, and courier).

— Source: 4medica

 

 

Smartphone App Illustrates Atrial Fibrillation Care Strategies

A Call to Action for Atrial Fibrillation recently released updates to the AFib Educator, a free smartphone app and desktop widget designed to help healthcare providers better explain atrial fibrillation (AFib) to their patients.

AFib is the most common form of irregular heartbeat, affecting an estimated 2.5 million Americans, a figure that could increase to 12 million by 2050, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A complex and poorly understood disease, AFib is associated with a reduced quality of life, worsens other heart diseases, and increases risk for stroke, hospitalization, and death, according to a 2002 report in the American Journal of Medicine.

The AFib Educator 2.0 visually demonstrates the importance of the management strategies defined in the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and Heart Rhythm Society AFib clinical treatment guidelines: rate control, rhythm control, and stroke prevention.

New animations show patients important potential consequences of AFib, including stroke risk and heart remodeling. One animation shows how a blood clot can form and flow to the brain, causing an AFib-related stroke, while another illustrates heart remodeling, in which the heart changes size and shape as a result of being in AFib over time.

AFib Educator 2.0 also includes popular features from the original application, such as important patient resources about the signs, symptoms, and prevalence of AFib; links to resources where patients can learn more about the disease; and an “e-mail a friend” feature that allows healthcare professionals to e-mail background information directly to patients.

The AFib Educator 2.0 app and desktop widget are available for free download at www.afstat.com. The app can also be downloaded from the Apple App Store.

— Source: AF Stat

 

The Little Blue Book Mobile Now Available to Physician Mobile Users

HCPlexus, publisher of the little blue book and its mobile application, the little blue book Mobile (tlbb Mobile), a referral resource for physicians for more than 20 years, recently announced the availability of tlbb Mobile 2.0. More than 200,000 physicians per year trust and use the little blue book to find the information they need to help their patients. With the release of tlbb Mobile 2.0 and the availability of tlbb Mobile for Android, doctors can access that same valued information via iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android platforms—the most popular smartphone operating systems—making the tlbb Mobile application available to a vast majority of physician mobile users.

tlbb Mobile 2.0 is a regularly updated mobile application that allows physicians to make fast referrals, consult with colleagues, call hospitals and pharmacies with one click, access insurance information, and look up listings even without cell service—giving physicians more time with their patients. Featured benefits of tlbb Mobile 2.0 include the following:

• Notes feature: add comments and private phone numbers to individual listings;

• Favorites: Save the most frequently called colleagues, pharmacies, and hospitals;

• Google Maps: Gain quick access to Google Maps to find the exact location of the contacts needed, be it a physician, hospital, or pharmacy; and

• Announcements: Find out about new features and learn tips on how to best utilize all the features of the tlbb Mobile application.

Also announced recently was the National Provider Identifier (NPI)/Free for Life Program in which the little blue book Mobile Pro will be offered free to professionals for life. Available only to healthcare professionals who can provide their NPI, this offering further emphasizes the opportunity for healthcare professionals to connect exclusively with each other and the healthcare resources they need.

Physicians can download a freemium version at the Apple App Store, Google’s Android Market, or www.tlbbmobile.com for BlackBerry devices. The freemium offering includes a complete list of local primary care practitioners as well as pharmacy, hospital, and health plan data for up to five geographic regions. Upgraded premium data packages are also available for individual or group purchase and include specialist information.

— Source: HCPlexus