Free Up Memory with Epocrates Memory Management

Finally, physicians have a way to free up memory from one of the most popular physician software applications---ePocrates. This software normally takes up at least 5MB on a Palm OS device and at least 3MB on Windows devices. Previously, it had to be installed in main memory and took up valuable memory space. Now you can move it to the card. See directions in the support section at ePocrates by searching on "memory management." Thanks ePocrates!

New Windows Mobile Treo is Rumored

I still use a Treo 750P and find it very adequate for running the majority of my medical applications, serving as a phone and pager, and keeping my calendar. Unfortunately, I'm very near the top end of my memory (approx. 60MB on the Palm version), and have always wanted more memory. There are a few ways you can maximize your memory: ePocrates can now be moved to the card from their menu interface, and all reference materials should reside on your card. However, there are still many applications that just won't work well (or at all) on the card. Therefore, rumors of a new high-end Treo 800W might solve some of these issues. It is rumored to have 256MB of memory (although this is Windows memory, so may be only slightly more than the 60MB of Palm memory, depends on the applications your run). It is also supposed to have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, eGPS, a 2.0MP camera, and many other great features. Stay tuned, and we will keep you updated on this device. In the meanwhile, read more about it here.

More Uses for cellphones in healthcare

As cell phones (and smartphones) become the most prevalent technology in Doctor's offices and in patient's hands, more and more opportunities arise. Not only is it useful to doctors (e.g. for charge capture, patient lists, e-prescribing, drug look-up, etc.), but imagine being able to remind patients (automatically) to check blood sugars or blood pressures and automatically feed this information back into office-based systems. We have been seeing more and more research funded by NIH along these lines and the article by Peter Groen and Douglas Goldstein on Virtual Medical Worlds (click here) details many of the current programs and uses that are available.

Calling Dr. Cellphone

Health care is harnessing electronic devices to monitor chronic diseases

Tom Blackwell, National Post

Published: Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Each time Joyce Telford visited the doctor and had her blood pressure measured, it always came back too high, an unsettling pattern that led to the 49-year-old taking more and more hypertension medication. What Ms. Telford's blood-pressure did in the weeks between those visits, however, was always a bit of a mystery.

Then the Toronto nurse took part in a novel study at the city's Mount Sinai Hospital that coupled a wireless-equipped blood-pressure cuff, regular home readings and a cellphone that helped send the measurements to her doctor, letting the physician see a range of readings, instead of just one. It turned out that between visits, her blood pressure actually stayed under control, news that persuaded her doctor to hold off on prescribing yet another drug.

The study published this month in the American Journal of Hypertension also pointed to other, more impressive benefits from the cellphone-based system, which sent alerts to patients and doctors when their blood pressure got too high or too low. The average blood-pressure readings of the 31 participants fell significantly over the study period, reductions that in the long-term would translate into 40% fewer heart attacks and strokes among hypertension and diabetes patients, said Dr. Alexander Logan, the Mount Sinai nephrologist who headed the study.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=ba0cc4f6-3beb-42e4-a35c-b22dac5e37d0&k=0

Mobile phones for the assessment of burns: we have the technology

Shokrollahi, K., et al. - To investigate the accuracy of assessment of burn surface area and depth using a basic camera-equipped mobile phone...Conclusion: There are a number of implications for the use of mobile phone technology in hospitals and its potential use in the management of major in addition to minor burns, as well as other forms of trauma. The untapped potential for this technology in a hospital environment is highlighted ...

http://emj.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/24/11/753

PocketMed(R) Revolutionizes Mobile Billing Industry

PocketMed, a leader in mobile charge has released a new version of their popular charge capture software for practicing physicians. This software is affordable and easy to use by practicing physicians without significant up-front costs or tech support.

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New Palm Centro Launched

The new Palm Centro may work very well in the healthcare setting due to 64MB of on-board memory and expansion card. This is basically the same amount of memory as the Treo line (e.g. Treo 700, 750, etc.). See video here.