As a Pharmacist which compete with the massive amount of new medicines, it is vital to keep us up to date and having all the references in your fingertips to provide the most precise information whenever our client need it. It is very tedious to bring along all the references such as 3000 pages drug references or a thick BNF book walk around the ward and it is very time consuming too whenever you need to check for a drug.
Luckily with the advancement of technology, smartphone application provide us the fingertips reference with immediate search references. Here are 6 smartphone apps which I would like to introduce to the pharmacists in Malaysia:
1. Lexi-comp drug references:
My main reference during my PRP-ship
Pros:
- Provide concise up to date references of all the drug listed by FDA, details such as renal dose adjustment, peads & adult dosing and provide studies and article for references.
- Work offline
- Side reference such as Harison practice, adult patient counseling point and Lexi-tox
- Great calculator tools
- Simple but handy drug interaction checker
Cons:
- Paid apps and costly
- Drugs not listed in FDA cant be refer.
2. Medscape
Pros:
- Provide offline references of medical procedures and drugs which updated regularly with information similar to
- It’s Free
- CME provided which can keep you up to date medical information
Cons:
- Don’t provide studies on drug
- Long loading time
3. Stanford Antibiotic Guide
Pros:
- Provide latest antibiotic spectrum to all the microbes that causes diseases
- Details information of each antibiotics
- serve as my second references next to lexi comp for antibiotics
Cons:
- Paid application
- Have to update yearly. no automatically update available
4. Pocket Lab Reference Values
Pros:
- Provide a range of lab values to reference which sort according to their categories in SI units and US units
- Description of each value are included
- Work offline
- Provide differential for increased/decreased value
- Provide lab diagnostic technique such as container information
Cons:
- Too much information on a value, sometimes the differential will make you confuse
5. Drugs.com
A newly published apps by the famous drugs.com
Pros:
- Contain all the information as in drugs.com
- Pill Identifier
- Interactions checker
- Free apps
Cons:
- Required internet connections and accounts
6. My Blue Book
Pros:
- The only application that allow you to check prescriber categories
- Provide offline information for drug in Malaysia KKM Hospital
- Allow you to check the dosage available in Malaysia KKM Hospital
- Provide generic / brand conversion easily
Cons:
- Too few information such as renal dosage adjustment are not available
- Calculator tools are not available (It’s coming soon)
- Iphone user are not allowed to view the dosage
There are few more handy applications which is good and handy, but however, with this 6 application installed in your smartphone, basically you can solve any questions by your clients in the hospital, be sure you choose the correct tools to solve the problems/questions.
My Pharmacist House 