iPad – Page 2

App for Physicians Also Popular with Patients

April 30, 2012 | by Kirstin Hendrickson

Epocrates is one of the most popular medical apps available for iPhones, iPads, Android, Blackberry, Palm, and Windows Mobile. It’s intended to help physicians access medical information — including drug dosing, reference values for vital statistics, and information about diseases — quickly and efficiently. Because the app market is glutted with medical applications, the value of Epocrates is that it combines the most important functions into a single app. In a recent press release, the Epocrates compay referred to the app as a “prescription for medical app overload”:

Mobile apps are only as valuable as they are useful. We’ve advanced the user experience of our world-class drug reference app and added a singular channel to discover, store and access reliable tools. Furthermore, this is a fresh foundation for new partner engagements and opportunities to deliver even more value-add resources to our network.

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Tracking Blood Glucose? There’s an App (and Hardware) for That

April 3, 2012 | by Walter Jessen

Diabetics often need to test blood glucose levels several times a day in order to make appropriate decisions about nutrition and, in the case of type 1 diabetics, insulin administration. Medisana, a German company, has developed hardware and an app that allow diabetics to test — and keep track of — blood glucose on an iPhone or iPad. The hardware, called the GlucoDock, connects to an Apple mobile device. The user puts a very small drop of blood on a test strip, and inserts it into the device. GlucoDock, via the VitaDock software, measures blood sugar and records the measurement for personal data tracking purposes.

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Health Hazards of Mobile Devices

March 7, 2012 | by Walter Jessen

The age of mobile devices reached a milestone last month. According to the latest research from the Pew Internet and American Life project, as of February, just over half of all U.S. adults own a smartphone [1]. In fact, some readers are viewing this on a mobile device right now. If you’re reading this on your iPad or smartphone: how is your neck positioned? How close are you holding your device to your face? Staring down and squinting at a small, bright screen for several hours a day clearly isn’t healthy, and as a reminder the infographic below “Are Mobile Devices Destroying Your Body?” illustrates some of the health risks of mobile devices and provides some prevention tips.

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Health Highlights – March 11th, 2010

March 11, 2010 | by Walter Jessen

Health Highlights is a biweekly summary of particularly interesting articles from credible sources of health and medical information that we follow & read. For a complete list of recommeded sources, see our links page.

Why the iPad Matters for Healthcare | The Health Care Blog
The iPad has the potential to be truly useful for healthcare. Thomas Goetz offers an optimistic forecast.
Health Tweeder. A Neat Visual Tool… But is it Useful? | Laika’s MedLibLog
Jacqueline reviews Health Tweeder, a visual tool to aggregate twitter messages on specific health topics.
How Risky Are Social Networking Sites for Kids | Dr Shock MD PhD
The results of an online survey published in the journal Pediatrics found that claims of unwanted sexual solicitation or harassment associated with social networking sites don't appear justified. Dr Shock reviews the results.
What is the difference between health and healthcare? | Jay Parkinson + MD + MPH = a doctor in NYC
Jay Parkinson predicts what will happen when the business model of "sickcare" – transactions between payors and providers – becomes squeezed between federal and state regulations, and the implications of such an event for brands entering the health space.
Exercise Reduces Anxiety In Sick Patients | Healthcare Hacks
A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine finds that regular exercise can be effective at reducing anxiety. Fred Lee runs through the results.
Even Though Adults Still Need 8.5 Hours of Sleep Each Night, Most People Sleep 6.5 | The Patient Report
Cheree Cleghorn reviews the results of a recent poll on U.S. sleep habits and questions why we’re a nation of sleep-deprived people.
Is Self-Guided Research Dangerous to Your Health? | The Decision Tree
Thomas Goetz discusses self-guided or personalized research – patients using social media to decentralize and distribute health data, and using that information to make informed decisions.
Worrying: WordPress shut down a Blog of a Student Critizing the Naturopath Christopher Maloney | Laika’s MedLibLog
The complementary and alternative medicine movement has a great deal of influence over healthcare consumers. Jacqueline expresses worry over the tactics recently taken by alternative practitioners to silence critical science writers.

Health Highlights – January 29th, 2010

January 29, 2010 | by Walter Jessen

Health Sites: Some Are More Equal Than Others | e-Patients.net
One of Google’s initiatives is to guide consumers to credible health information. However, Google Health’s OneBox doesn’t treat all health sites the same.
Alcohol causes cancer, and here’s the evidence | Cancer Research UK – Science Update
Although everyone knows about the short-term effects of excessive drinking, the long-term effects are often overlooked. Ed Yong at Cancer Research UK discusses the science of alcohol and cancer.
iPad For Medicine Is About The Software | Doctor Anonymous
In the midst of excitement surrounding the Apple iPad, Dr. Anonymous reminds us that, when it comes to medicine, it’s all about the software.
5 Ideas About Feedback & Behavior Change, Supported by Evidence | The Decision Tree
Thomas Goetz discusses the benefits of feedback and behavior change, and the research to support each claim.
What kind of Internet user are you? | BPS Research Digest
Does your Internet use reflect your personality? BPS Research Digest reviews a study that evaluated how people with certain personality types use the Web.
Exercise Today, Reap The Benefits Later In Life! | Healthcare Hacks
A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that development of age-related chronic diseases and disabilities is not inevitable if people are physically active in their midlives.
Andrew Wakefield “Acted Unethically” | NeuroLogica Blog
Following a two-and-a-half year ethics investigation, the General Medical Council (GMC), which registers doctors to practice medicine in the UK, has concluded that Andrew Wakefield, the UK researcher who suggested a link between autism spectrum disorders and MMR vaccination, acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” in his research.
17 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight | Mark’s Daily Apple
Do you exercise? Are you currently on a diet but can’t seem to shed the pounds? Mark Sisson runs down the reasons you’re not losing weight.
Two drugs show best treatment possibility for MS | Mind Hacks
A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine reports on two new drugs for the treatment of multiple sclerosis that are more effective than existing modalities. Vaughan Bell reviews the findings.