Theres an App for That: Using Smartphones in Medical Education

There’s an App for That: Using Smartphones in Medical Education

Smartphones

According to the Wall Street Journal: 72% of all doctors in the U.S. own smartphones 95% of these doctors download apps Whalen J. Drug Makers Replace Reps With Digital Tools. wsj.com. 2011. Available at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703702004576268772294316518.html?mod=rss_Health. Accessed June 5, 2011.

Smartphones

According to Apple: 63% of all students enrolled in colleges and universities own smartphones College students are the fastest growing sector of the market Expected growth for 2011 is almost 50% Apple - Education - Challenge Based Learning. Available at: http://www.apple.com/education/challenge-based-learning/#cbl-engaging-video. Accessed June 5, 2011.

Tablet Devices

According to Epocrates: After its introduction in April of 2010, 20% of doctors planned on purchasing an iPad Smartphones in Healthcare | Doody’s Views. Available at: http://www.medinfonowblog.com/wordpress/index.php/healthcare-technology/smartphones-in-healthcare. Accessed June 5, 2011.

Mobile Devices

Why are mobile devices so popular? Combine the functionality of a computer with portability Lower cost Connect to Internet wirelessly Apps

What are Apps

The term ‘app’ stands for a computer application on the mobile device. Apps can be e-books, interactive reference materials, training modules, medical software devices, data collection tools, interactive patient handouts, etc.

Apps … wait, what’s my device

Medical Apps vs

Health Apps

Health apps help consumers to maintain a healthy lifestyle or offer health-related services. Health Apps are targeted at consumers rather than medical professionals. The most popular categories of downloaded health apps are exercise, stress, and diet.

Finding Apps

Apple’s App Store for iPod, iPhone and iPad Google’s Android Market for Android mobile devices Blackberry’s App World for RIM mobile devices Nokia’s Avi Store for Nokia mobile devices Windows 7 Phone Marketplace Third-party app stores (Caveat emptor)

Finding Apps

Apple Apps Store http://www.apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone/ Largest store - Over 350,000 apps Apps for both iPhone and iPad Some apps can also be used on some models of iPod Touch

Finding Apps

Android Market https://market.android.com/ Fastest growing market - Over 250,000 apps in less than two years Apps for both phones and tablets Some apps only work on Android devices made by certain manufacturers

Finding Apps

BlackBerry App World http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/?lang=en Over 35,000 apps Apps for both phones and tablets Some apps only work on certain BlackBerry devices

Finding Apps

Skyscape Modality (Epocrates) Unbound Medicine PEPID Medical Wizards Lexi-Comp Best Buy App Discovery Center

Review Sites

Medical Smartphones.com Created by Dr. Joseph Kim, content on this site is written by doctors, medical students and other authors. Submissions on this site are international, so not all products are available in the United States. All types of mobile devices are covered. http://www.medicalsmartphones.com/

Review Sites

iPhone Medicine Blog Created and maintained by Dr. Salvatore Volpe. Not updated as often as other pages on this list, but Dr. Volpe does have a Twitter feed on related topics. iPhone only, but links to related sites. http://iphonemedicine.blogspot.com/

Review Sites

iMedicalApps The most widely read of all medical app review sites, receiving over 400,000 page views per month. Content is written by a team of doctors and medical students. iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry reviews. http://www.imedicalapps.com/

Review Sites

MobiHealthNews A newsletter that chronicles the healthcare sector’s adoption of mobile technology http://mobihealthnews.com

Library Review Sites

BU Medical Library - use our Mobile Devices subject guide. Stanford School of Medicine - Featured Apps List

App Reviews in Pubmed

Pubmed Use MeSH term “Computer, Handheld” keywords such as mobile health, mhealth, smartphone, cell phone, tablet, iphone, ipad, telemedicine, app, application, etc.

Mobile Learning

Mobile Learning

Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies. "Guidelines for learning/teaching/tutoring in a mobile environment". MOBIlearn. October 2003. pp. 6. Retrieved June 1, 2011.

Evaluating Apps

The Five Cs for Evaluation

C #1: Creator

Creator: Who made the app? Is this individual or organization credible? Creator information should be easy to find; if not, this may be an indication of questionable quality.

C #1: Creator

Individual Creator(s) Professional developer vs. enthusiast developer Healthcare professional vs. non-healthcare professional For profit, non-profit, affiliation, disclaimer, etc. Doctor, medical resident, medical student Business entrepreneur

C #1: Creator

Organization(s) Government agency, institute, etc. Non-profit vs. for-profit Well established company vs. start-up company Pharmaceutical company Health insurance company

C #2: Content

Content: What is the scope of the app? What does it contain? Who is the intended audience?

C #2: Content

Apps that quiz, test or educate via games TopDoc – a visual medical quiz app developed by Elsevier and Legacy Interactive. Speed Muscles MD - a quiz by a developer specializing in medical education. Brush It Up! – a game to teach kids how to brush their teeth.

C #2: Content

Apps that replace or enhance medical books Once you download the free Inkling app, you are able to view various interactive textbooks. Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology is one of these texts. Another exciting medical e-book that will soon be released is Essential Clinical Anatomy. Renal Physiology is the textbook on Anatomy and Physiology by Dr. Jonathan Kibble

C #2: Content

If you’re going to recommend an app to a particular audience first try to categorize its content and the level of content General reference Drug information Guidelines EBM resources, Medical textbooks, Medical calculators Study guides Educational resources, Patient Education Productivity (note-taking, citation management, etc.) Communication tools

C #3: Context

Context: Is this app easy to use? To read? To view images? To navigate? Does it load quickly? Do I need internet connection? Does it crash often? Software updates

C #4: Comments

Comments: From users: What do users think of this app? Do multiple users have the same comments or complaints? How many people have made comments?

C #4: Comments

Comments: From Tech Experts: What do magazines and web sites devoted to technology say about this app or device?

C #4: Comments

Comments: From Medical Professionals: What do doctors / dentists / medical students / other Health Professionals have to say about this app?

C #5 Connect

Connect: There are thousands of free apps, and most paid apps have “lite” or free versions. Many paid apps cost less than $5, so if you are interested take the plunge.

Challenges Ahead: Medical Apps and FDA

Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Availability: Mobile Medical Applications Document ID: FDA-2011-D-0530-0001 Document Type: Notice Docket ID: FDA-2011-D-0530

Let’s take a look at some medical apps QUESTIONS

COMMENTS?

Need Help

David Flynn MS (LIS), Head of Library and Information Management Education (617) 638-4271 dflynn@bu.edu Konstantin Starikov MLIS, MPhil, MA, Head of Circulation & Interlibrary Loan Services (617) 638-4224 kstar@bu.edu