Seven Great Apps for Pharmacists

There are many things your new smartphone or iPad you can do, As a pharmacist and educator, I have been looking for apps I can use behind the counter or in the classroom. The truth is that most medical or health apps are physician-driven, however, new apps for pharmacists are added daily, some with regular updates and many included tools.

I am including here some great apps that pharmacists and pharmacy students can find very handy on daily basis:

1. Epocrates

The gold standard for mobile drug references, Epocrates is available at multiple price points to fit every budget. It’s also easier than ever to navigate, thanks to a user-friendly upgrade to its interface that includes customizable features and faster access to information. The free version, Epocrates Rx, provides access health plan formularies, a drug interaction checker, medical calculators, clinical updates and medical news, in addition to its flagship product: a database of brand, generic, and OTC medicines that is illustrated with images and searchable by shape, color, or imprint code.
Compatible with: iPhone/iPod touch, Android, BlackBerry, Palm, Windows Mobile
Price: $0 to $299

2. Lexicomp

Lexicomp partners with the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), and members of both organizations get a special discounted price.  Users can choose Lexi-COMPLETE, which includes all 20 of Lexicomp’s drug and disease databases, or mix and match references to meet their needs. Some options include a patient education module with leaflets covering pediatric and adult medications; references for looking up pediatric and neonatal dosing guidelines and pregnancy and lactation labeling; and AHFS Essentials, a database of detailed information about prescription and OTC drugs that is published independently by ASHP.
Compatible with: iPhone/iPod touch, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Palm Windows Mobile
Price: $40 to $285

3. Micromedex Drug Information

 Thomson Reuters’ Micromedex has garnered high praise from Wired magazine for its usability. According to the publication’s first-ever App Guide, “its user interface is the best of all the prescription drug apps. Many of the others have login menus or a bunch of clutter. But Micromedex is so fast and easy.” The app—which includes generic and trade names, adult and pediatric dosages, warnings, adverse effects, toxicology, and other information—was also recently added to Apple’s curated “Apps for Healthcare Professionals” category in iTunes. The current version is rated 4.5 stars out of 5 in iTunes, and is available for both iPhone and iPad.

Compatible with: iPhone/iPod touch and iPad
Price: Free

4. Sigler Drug Cards 

According to a pharmacist-written review by iMedicalApps, Sigler Drug Cards is an ideal study resource “if you’re the type of person who is more likely to have a smartphone with you than a pile of flash cards.” For each of the top 300 most commonly prescribed drugs, the Sigler app provides a full-color picture, FDA dosages and indications, pharmacology, drug interactions and precautions, adverse effects, illustrated chemical structure, and patient counseling tips.
Compatible with:iPhone/iPod touch and iPad
Price:$29.99 (a free “lite” version is available)

5. Redi-Reader

A free app that makes it easier for pharmacists to access these evidence-based recommendations from a mobile device. It includes official guidelines set by the Infectious Disease Society of America, the American Diabetes Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Thoracic Society, among other organizations.
Compatible with: iPhone/iPod touch and iPad
Price: Free

6.Monthly Prescribing Reference (MPR)

The latest version of this mobile tool from Monthly Prescribing Reference (MPR) includes a drug interactions checker and improved news and alerts. Users can search within the app for information on more than 4000 prescription and OTC drug monographs listed by brand or generic name, disease, pharmacological class, or manufacturer. Edited by pharmacists, MPR also provides up-to-date drug news, safety alerts, and recall information and features more than 30 medical calculators.
Compatible with: iPhone/iPod touch, iPad, Android
Price: Free

7. Google Translate

Handy for pharmacists who work with non-English speaking patients, Google translate allows you to translate words and phrases in more than 60 languages, including English, Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
Compatible with: iPhone/iPod touch, iPad
Price: Free