How to find the most valuable apps for your portable information devices

By Bill G. Felkey

38 america’s Pharmacist | January 2012 www.americaspharmacist.net Turn Your Tech Toys into Tech Tools

I have just returned from a national pharmacy meeting where I showed my audience an Android tablet I had brought with me. I then asked the question, "Is this a tool or a toy?" I was surprised by the number of votes indicating this 10-inch information appliance was considered to be a toy. When iPad owners were also asked if they thought their device was a toy, many voted in the affirmative about their own devices.

What this tells me is that pharmacists have not acquired an adequate suite of professional applications that make them perceive the device as being firmly in the tool category. Granted, technology can easily be rated as both a tool and a toy if we use them for both work and play, but we quickly tend to discard devices whose utility is lacking when we want to do serious work. Deciding that we value something enough to always have it with us, or that we feel not fully dressed if we have left our technology behind, is an important consideration for pharmacists.

All Day, Every Day Use Personally, I use my information appliance array almost all day, every day. Communicating professionally with all of the important people in my life throughout the world can be done easily, and they usually can be

www.americaspharmacist.net January 2012 | america’s Pharmacist 39 reached in a matter of seconds. When pondering a have a complete suite of clinical references and a set of decision, location is typically not an issue as I can access calculation and conversion tools available to me. My content regardless of where I might be at a particular professional management suite includes moment. Technology can be used to purchase goods word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, and a and services whenever the desire strikes me. I also do relational database application. I also use documentation social networking activities with my family, friends, and tools for clinical events, patient record-keeping and colleagues. Some of my favorite hobbies are bicycling, billing databases, and have an Internet browser always tennis, wine tasting, and online video games. I can available for looking up additional information and network with friends who share some of these interests. accessing online applications and tools. Email is used as The best appliances in my array help accomplish my professional to-do list, and I will frequently ask my whatever task I have chosen. For multitasking, a 37-inch colleagues to email me if they want me to do anything. display for my desktop in my office works well. On the monitor, several windows can be opened Search and Evaluation simultaneously when I am writing. It helps me combine I have downloaded patient education materials and thoughts that are generated from several sources. A multimedia formats and store them on the internal desktop replacer has a large screen for doing memory of the devices I carry. Keeping up with news, website work with a group when I'm away from home. sports, the stock market, online shopping, and travel My 13-inch travel laptop computer is ideal for giving activities is easy using these devices. I have specialized presentations. It is light yet powerful, so it works well patient education applications at my fingertips and can on the road. My Android smart phone and tablet were access information in multiple languages whenever both made by Motorola, and by using Gmail, I am able needed. For anything else, I have a suggested method for to synchronize everything I need between all of my identifying and evaluating other specialized applications. information appliance array devices. I also purchased My search and evaluation strategy is as follows. a computer but quickly abandoned it when First, I open a search engine and use the search terms: it became evident that the processor was not powerful a. Download enough for my work requirements. b. Operating system (such as Android, Windows The application categories available on my mobile, Apple) information appliances start with my Personal c. Application focus (such as drug information, long- Information Management suite, which includes my term care, cardiology) contacts, calendar, task lists, and technical notes. I d. Free (This gets me free applications as well as free trials of application to use for my evaluation phase of the work.)

I did a trial search using [download Android "drug information" free] without the brackets but including the quotation marks to require the search to find the exact phrase “drug information” specifically. The search resulted in more than two million hits, but the first 20 websites listed contained a great professional array of reputable drug information resources. Next, I changed the application focus to cardiology with similar results.

Evaluating the Application Now I need to evaluate the application. I make sure that the application is compatible with my device(s) on which I will run it. Some of the best publishers are capable of

having their products run on all of the devices in use. Hemera and istockp h oto p h otograp y:

40 america’s Pharmacist | January 2012 www.americaspharmacist.net Then I look at the quality and quantity of the to be made. The good news is that there are several information in the application. Many producers reputable publishers from which to choose. As I of these applications are respected for their said earlier, using a free trial will get me the kind print products, and all I need to decide is how of practical exposure to an application before a well their electronic version is made accessible purchase decision is required. for my needs. I look at the coverage of the application I find it personally and professionally exciting that to make sure that the information I expect to be in the information can be communicated in any form, to application is present. I want to know if the information anyone, anywhere, on any device, at any time. Health in a monograph is presented in such a way that the nugget care is rapidly becoming a digital field, and digital of information (such as geriatric dosing) can be quickly information convergence that yields greater situational acquired without excessive reading. Also, I want to test awareness for pharmacists is now a reality. I welcome products using actual cases from patients to make sure your comments and questions regarding this and any that the layout of the application is compatible with my pharmacy technology topic. I can be reached by email problem-solving strategy. Finally, I make sure that the at [email protected]. navigation, updating capabilities, and integration into my personal workflow can be supported by the application working on my device. Bill G. Felkey is professor emeritus of pharmacy care systems at Cross Validation Auburn University's Harrison School of Pharmacy. Sometimes I place more than one application in a category on my devices so that I can cross validate the information from one application with another. This is especially valuable when a patient critical decision needs