This article aims to answer a very simple yet pertinent question: Which iPhone should a medical professional get.

With a wide variety of choice in terms of size and type, iMedicalApps would like to offer our insight into this choice from a physicians perspective. The amount of medical apps currently available for iPhones is astounding.

With so much choice available, one must seriously consider the choice of iPhone as it is important that it can fully complete the job it will be used for. The main criteria to judge by are hardware, software and cost.

The choices currently available in the Apple Store are listed below. I have omitted color options as these are little more than personal preference and do not affect core functionality.

• iPhone 4S in 16GB, 32GB or 64GB
• iPhone 4 8GB
• iPhone 3GS 8GB

A note that the iPod Touch has similar functionality in terms of its ability to run iOS apps, however this article is purely focused on the iPhone.

The first major factor to consider is the hardware specification between the different iPhone generations. The iPhone 3GS has been a faithful servant, though, it has started to show its hardware limitations in the face of demanding applications and operating systems. The advent of iOS 5 (which is 2 generations higher than when it was first launched) has caused the 3GS slowdowns which has had a generally negative effect on usability.

The iPhone 4 is much more comparable to the flagship 4S in terms of hardware but crucially misses out on a higher resolution camera, advanced A5 processor and Siri. Furthermore, Apple is renowned for releasing a limited number of software updates to any particular model i.e. the 3GS will not be able to run iOS 6 even if it was capable of it.

When one considers these factors along with its limited 8GB size (more on that below), it is clear that any doctor looking to purchase an iPhone for use in day to day practice should only consider the 4S. There are a number of size options available and we shall take a closer look at the specific requirements of a doctor to further distinguish between these models.

The iPads large screen and interactive interface make it an ideal platform for medical imaging.

NeuroRad by RadLynx LLC is a clinical neuroradiology reference designed for a range of healthcare professionals involved in neurological imaging of the brain.

Written and designed by an American Board of Radiology certified Neuroradiologist, NeuroRad aims to improve understanding of neurological imaging and associated pathologies.

We have previously reviewed the NeuroRad Mini for the iPhone, and this is the iPad counterpart.

The main feature of this app is the interactive imaging atlases. This is split into a number of sections; Cross Sectional MRI Anatomy, Vascular territories, MR Angiography (both arterial and venous) and CT Angiography.

All three views (Saggital, Coronal and Axial) are accessible complete with labels. Navigation through the different parts is innovative and involves pinch-to-zoom multitouch gestures which scroll through the different anatomical slices. The images are high resolution and clearly labelled. Unfortunately, there was no way to turn off the labels in this section in order to test oneself.

The Vascular territory atlas covers both arterial and venous supply and is an excellent resource navigated in a similar fashion to the cross sectional atlas. A clear key illustrates the different areas of the brain supplied by each artery-key for any neurosurgeon. Labels are also included here to develop recognition of key structures

The MR Angiography section covers both the arterial and venous system. Each view has a multitude of labels which consolidates anatomical knowledge. There are also a range of views including ‘Tumble’ and ‘Spin’ which aim to improve 3-dimensional understanding.

The CT angiography also covers the three main views (Saggital, Axial and Coronal) and both arterial and venous systems. It is useful that these images are highlighted so that the path of the vessels can be visualised.

The other major section of NeuroRad for iPad is a detailed weblink and reference section. There are a decent range of weblinks covering a range of aspects related to neuroradiology from MRI images to clinical sites including journals and professional associations. This collection of weblinks (which open in Safari) is a good resource for residents and interns looking for further information.

The reference section contains some excellent information related to pathologies which may be seen on a scan. These are presented as a list of differential diagnoses which are extensive. There is very little pathophysiology explanation although references are provided for the interested resident who is looking for further reading.

Price:

• $9.99 (although currently on sale as new content is added and updated)

Likes:

• Detailed, labelled radiology atlas covering the three main views
• Excellent visualization of the vessels in the brain using both MR and CT Angiography
• Detailed differential diagnoses for a range of abnormalities seen on radiograms
• Collection of weblinks

Dislikes:

• No ability to share information/screenshots via email/social media
• No ability to turn the labels on/off in order to test oneself

Overall Rating:

• NeuroRad for iPad is a fantastic application for radiologist residents with an excellent neuroradiology atlas
• Has a range of uses for healthcare professionals ranging from student to resident
• An all-round excellent application for those interested in neurological imaging

iTunes link

Those of us lucky enough to own an iPad know how useful they can be in day-to-day life – we use them for electronic medical records, keeping track of literature, organizing notes, scheduling appointments, paying bills…playing Angry Birds.

However, the iPad isn’t just revolutionizing the way we interact with our apps, it’s revolutionizing the way some kids interact with their world. Educational apps are common place in tech-saavy families with young children, but a children’s hospital in Oklahoma has taken apps for kids one step further by incorporating them into their patient’s therapy routines.

The Children’s Hospital of Bethany is allowing kids with a variety of difficulties – from congenital defects to traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries – to expand their ability to learn and communicate with the use of educational and interactive iPad apps.

A recent article by Sonya Colberg on NewsOK describes the hospital’s use of iPads for the advancement of their children with various difficulties, saying it gives them more independence and opportunity.

Abbagale [a 3 year old with spinal muscle atrophy] gazed at a pink circle on the screen and her scribbles on the iPad turned pink. Seconds later, she chose a new color to draw with by gazing at a purple circle.

“I like that big smile,” [special education teacher Mindy] Cash told Abbagale.
“This [iPad] is allowing her to be independent…to give her communication,” [Cash] said. “It’s so engaging. It just captivates them.”

The possibilities of technology like the iPad helping children and adults with physical and mental disabilities are endless. We are certainly at an exciting time in the world of technology with so much potential right on the horizon.

What amazing and innovating uses have you seen for education, therapy, and rehabilitation with technology like the iPad?

Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine is regarded as one of the premier textbooks for physicians through to medical students.

Primarily aimed at internists, it is accessible to medical professionals at all levels with its fundamental clinical medicine coupled with an explanation of underlying pathophysiology. Now in its 18th edition, it is without doubt one of the most recognizable and useful resources to practicing physicians today.

iMedicalApps has previously reviewed Harrison’s Manual of Internal Medicine for the iPhone here but today we take an in-depth look at the full Principles of Internal Medicine for iPad as it has now arrived via the Inkling platform. Inkling is renowned for taking classic textbooks and ‘reinventing’ them with a range of interactive features and media.

By their own admission, Harrison’s has been the most ambitious project to date and has taken over a year to complete the transformation to the iPad.

This review will not focus on the content of the book as most people will have experienced Harrison’s at some point during their medical career. Suffice to say Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine continues to set the standard as the pinnacle of current medical knowledge and practice, offering the definitive review of disease mechanisms and management.

As such, this review will focus on the overall Inkling platform and features which accompany this iPad version of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine.

The first important thing to note about the Harrison’s textbook is its size. The paper version weighs in at 2,800 pages and this translates to approximately 2GB of space on your iPad. However all 397 Chapters and 57 eChapters are stored locally on your device removing the need for an internet connection.

Launching the textbook within Inkling brings the user to a familiar user interface.

All Inkling titles are designed and built upon the same platform and utilize the same structure as seen in other titles such as Essentials of Clinical Anatomy and Ganong’s Physiology.

Initially, the user is presented with a (very long) list of chapters. Each group of chapters is collected under a ‘Part’ but unfortunately there is no way to expand or hide these parts meaning that you have to scroll through every chapter until you find the one you want. I feel Inkling may have missed a trick here as the closest feature that has this function is the actual contents page (see screenshot) which breaks the book up into its various ‘parts’. This has more to do with the structure of the book which splits each section into chapters but it does mean finding the required chapter can be more challenging than it should be.

However, once a chapter has been selected, navigation throughout the text is simple and straightforward. The arrows in the bottom left of the toolbar quickly jump between sections.

Navigating within a section was sometimes more challenging than desired. While there was some inertial scrolling, I found that this was not always enough to quickly scroll through the sections in each chapter. This was only really apparent on the larger chapters which contained vast amounts of information. In general, though, I did not have any problems interacting with the book. I was pleasantly surprised by the speed at which different sections and images were loaded.

One aspect of this title which the Inkling platform does not cope particularly well with is the sheer size and detail of many sections. Although there are options to change the text size, I felt that sometimes the text was too big (even on the smallest setting) and as a result actually became harder to read.

An example is shown in the screenshot below where one paragraph takes up the entire page which is difficult to read. Page fidelity with the paper version is maintained and marked off at the start of each chapter.

Integrating media into textbooks has always been an Inkling strong point and they do not disappoint with Harrison’s. There is a wealth of images, tables, slideshows, videos and more, all fully integrated and linked to within the text.

Tapping on a table or image will cause it to slide in on a new page so that you can purely concentrate on the information while a quick flick will cause it to slide away. I found I often used the search function to navigate as it was often quicker and easier than scrolling through numerous detailed chapters. I liked the fact that all information related to treatment and management had been highlighted which made finding this essential information quick and easy.

One of the nice things about using the Inkling platform is that thought that has gone into the little details. For example, including an inbuilt dictionary to define words or including the option to search by content type. One feature I hadn’t noticed before was the inclusion of a ‘back’ button when a hyperlink takes you between chapters.

The inbuilt search function is highly effective and useful tools such as bookmarks, highlighting, and basic annotation make customizing the textbook easy. While the annotation tools are not as comprehensive as those seen in PDF management apps, they are generally suitable for most uses.

Having used this book for a number of weeks now, I think it is an excellent title and believe that Inkling have done a fantastic job transferring this title to the iPad. The rich text and media go a long way to making Harrison’s more accessible to medical professionals and students alike. Time will tell if the inbuilt social features allowing users to share notes takes off.

Price:

• $199 although there is currently a 20% discount code posted in the forum

Likes

• All content stored locally
• Treatment information clearly highlighted including algorithms
• The range of interactive features that have become an integral part of Inkling titles
• Having each chapter split into sections making it easier to find information

Dislikes/Future updates I’d like to see

• More inertial scrolling
• Expandable sections and chapters to make navigating 350+ chapters easier
• I would like to see the option of a smaller text size whilst reading the main sections
• Constantly having to scroll whilst reading which can become cumbersome

Overall Rating

• Harrison’s Principle of Internal Medicine is another excellent title from Inkling
• One or two navigation issues do not take away from the fact this is the only iPad optimized version of this essential clinical reference text
• Medical professionals who purchase this text will know they carry one of the most extensive medical resources in a highly accessible format on a device no larger than a notepad.

iTunes link:
Inkling Store:

The medical education learning environment is rapidly evolving with the development of mobile technology, high speed internet and the improved connectivity with learning institutions.

These developments have enabled huge growth in less traditional learning tools such as online textbooks, anatomy videos, video lectures and a whole host of other resources. Podmedics is a site designed by UK foundation doctor Ed Wallitt and contains a vast range of podcasts for medical students and junior doctors alike.

Podmedics is a website, which means that it is accessible from home computers, iOS devices, Android devices etc. In fact, PodMedics should be accessible from most modern devices with an internet connection.

Once you have registered on the site, it is possible to search all podcasts, view all lectures or navigate by specialty. There is an excellent range of specialties available ranging from Cardiology to Rheumatology and extra sections dedicated to Surgery, Clinical Specialties and Clinical Sciences.

In total there are over 150 different podcasts available.

There is also an excellent set of notes for Surgery and Clinical Pharmacology which are at ideal level for medical students on their rotations (please note that the guidelines contained are for the UK and may differ elsewhere).

The podcasts are an excellent learning resource and offer an alternative style to those who prefer audio-visual learning rather than pure text. Each podcast has an associated slideshow and is narrated clearly. Each podcast varies in length between 10mins and 50mins depending on the subject being covered.

The level of detail in each is appropriate for advanced medical students and junior doctors. Overall I found the podcasts engaging and informative and a great way to fill a few moments of spare time or learn more about a patient I had recently seen.

Each podcast has attractive animations which showcase the essential learning points for each topic. It is an annoyance, though, that there is no native app for Podmedics. While an internet connection is required in order to view the podcasts, it is also possible to download the audio or video from the website to your computer or mobile device for offline watching. This is a useful workaround but not ideal or straightforward for busy clinicians.

Podmedics is soon to be updated and will include a brand new interface, new notes system with pdf export, recommended order to watch podcasts in, and a podcast tracking system to track which podcasts each user has watched.

Price:

• Registration on the Podmedics website is free and allows 7 days access
• Upgrading to a full subscription costs £30 per year (Approx $50)

Likes:

• Wide selection of podcasts available
• Playable on a range of devices

Dislikes:

• Podcasts require an active internet connection/not straightforward to watch offline
• No native app

Overall Rating:

• Podmedics is a superb resource for medical students and junior doctors alike
• The wide selection of topics, appropriate level of content and variation in length means the podcasts can be used for a quick reminder or a more detailed discussion of a particular topic

Site

A number of recent surveys have indicated that the Apple iPad is the number one choice for healthcare professionals when it comes to choosing a tablet.

This is hardly surprising given the head start the iPad has had compared to its competitors (read more here) and the significant development that has gone into medical apps for the iOS platform.

This article will attempt to help decide which particular iPad is the best choice for a healthcare professional who wants to use it as part of their daily workflow.

The choices available from the Apple Store at the time of writing are as follows:

• iPad 2 3G/Wi-Fi 16GB
• iPad 2 3G/Wi-Fi 32GB
• iPad 2 3G/Wi-Fi 64GB

This article will not consider the color of each device as that is a purely aesthetic choice. When it comes to purchasing an iPad, there are three main considerations, each of which will be addressed in turn:

• Processing hardware
• Storage space
• Connectivity

Processing hardware

As tablets become more powerful, they gain the ability to run more demanding applications. This means that they are generally faster, better at multitasking and will be suitable for future software developments. The iPad 2 was a large hardware upgrade from the original iPad with an enhanced processor, more memory and two cameras amongst other features.

Due to this, the iPad 2 is recommended over the original iPad.

Storage space

The iPad 2 is available in three different sizes, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The average app size for iPad apps is often larger than that of iPhone apps. One of the main functions of the iPad for medical professionals is storage and reading of medical literature. It is very easy to store large numbers of PDFs and presentations using apps such as PDF Expert/GoodReader. Apps such as Dropbox store the majority of documents online, however, they still require some local storage in order to display the files.

Another storage aspect worth considering is the rise of eTextbooks. Companies such as Inkling release excellent versions of core texts, though these can take up significant amounts of space– e.g. Inkling’s version of Harissons Principles of Internal Medicine is an amazing resource however it does take 3.4GB of space.

One final consideration when it comes to storage is accessibility. This will be discussed in greater detail below. Essentially, if your hospital or workplace has excellent connectivity, the greater you will be able to rely on cloud based storage services such as Dropbox.

If your hospital has a number of deadspots or you are based in the community then chances are you will want to make greater use of local storage to ensure you have access to all your documents regardless of internet connectivity.

On the basis of this, the 32GB model is regarded as the minimum size for healthcare professionals. The 16GB model does not have enough local storage on it for it to function effectively and users with this model are likely to find themselves running out of space in the future. In an ideal world, the 64GB model with its significant amount of storage would be the ideal choice, however, this does come at a cost. Users who are keen to store lots of documents locally and other media such as videos and photos may find that this model suits their needs better.

Although not strictly medical, this info graphic from gizmodo helps illustrate the different storage sizes available.

Connectivity

The final consideration when purchasing a new iPad is connectivity. All iPads are supplied with Wi-Fi as standard but a Wi-Fi + 3G model is also available. 3G keeps you connected to the internet even when Wi-Fi isn’t available and uses the same signals your mobile phone uses. It’s available without a contract and service is sold separately. Interestingly, Wi-Fi + 3G iPads include a GPS locator which the Wi-Fi only iPads do not.

Connectivity is an integral part of many medical apps which often store information online and download it as and when required. Similarly many iPads are used to input data into EMRs which also require internet connectivity. This is vital and therefore the Wi-Fi + 3G model is recommended for healthcare professionals. There is no need to purchase a contract for 3G data if there is Wi-Fi available, though it is useful to be able to access 3G if required.

Overall Rating

Having considered each of these three main points, it is clear that the iPad recommended for healthcare professionals is the 32GB Wi-Fi + 3G model. The 16GB model is not recommended on the basis of storage whilst the 64GB is not recommended on the basis of cost. 3G connectivity is essential to ensure that internet access is maintained in case there are deadspots in the hospital. The 32GB model should be more than adequate for the majority of users’ needs.

When it comes to anatomy apps on the iPhone, users are spoilt for choice. There is a huge range available ranging from flashcards to reference textbooks and more.

In a fantastic development, Visible Body has been released on the iPhone. When we reviewed Visible Body for the iPad, we were greatly impressed by its combination of anatomical detail, clinical correlations and novel approach to anatomy noting ” Visible Body is a dazzling demonstration of human anatomy”.

With the release of Visible Body for iPhone, it will be interesting to see if it is possible to maintain the high standards previously set.

Launching Visible Body takes a few moments and presents the user with a contents screen. Here it is possible to select the particular system and then a particular viewpoint e.g. Muscular System and then Upper Arm.

There is an excellent range of systems covered as shown in the screenshots.

There are 270 different views in total spread over 11 systems. It is also possible to change the gender of the 3D model while selecting a particular view. This impressive range of views makes up for the fact that there is no viewpoint of the complete 3D model. This omission does not impact upon what is a complete range of anatomical viewpoints.

Selecting a view and navigating through the menus is intuitive and simple, leading to the real strength of the application-the 3D model. Visible Body for iPhone makes excellent use of multitouch gestures to manipulate the model including pinch to zoom, rotate and pan. The controls are intuitive and it is very easy to learn how to quickly manipulate the model into a desired position.

Tapping on a structure highlights the structure and names it in a box at the top of the screen. There is a small plus symbol next to the name which can be used to show which system and the location of the selected structure. There are also options to show, hide or fade the structure which enables the user to understand the complex interplay between various anatomical structures.

At the bottom of the screen is a number of other options including Views, Definition, Actions, Help and Search. The Views button returns the user to the original selection of anatomical views whilst the Definition tab provides useful information related to the selected structure. The Actions tab offers a range of other view options such as the ability to refresh the model, change gender etc. Finally, the Help and Search tabs are self-explanatory.

The search function is particularly effective; typing a keyword into the search form brings up a list of structures. If the structure isn’t in the current model, one can add it. If it is in the model, one can select it or center the view on the structure. However, the search function does suffer from one or two drawbacks.

First, there can be a noticeable delay while searching and second, the search result will only be displayed with the current model. For example if you are looking at a nervous system view and add an artery it can be challenging to understand the anatomy. (See below for a screenshot of the left coronary artery added to a view of the nerves of the head and neck.)

Price:

• $9.99

Likes:

• Gorgeous, detailed 3D anatomical model
• Clever use of multitouch gestures to adjust 3D model
• Accompanying text contains a high level of detail

Dislikes:

• Memory intensive so therefore subject to occasional slowdowns and unresponsive (as such this is only recommended for users of iPhone 4/4S)
• Search function displays search results in current model which is not always appropriate

Overall Rating:

• Visible Body for iPhone is just as impressive as the iPad version
• The level of anatomical detail is very high and nothing major has been lost in the transition to the smaller device
• At $9.99, Visible Body is a steal when compared to other decent anatomy apps available for the iPhone
• Visible Body has many uses from patient education, to medical students and medical educators. Hands down one of, if not the best, anatomy app available for the iPhone.

iTunes link

One of the major introductions of iOS 5 was Newsstand.

Newsstand keeps all your app subscriptions in one place and automatically downloads the latest issue in the background.

Until now, Newsstand has not offered any subscriptions relevant to medicine however that has all changed with the introduction of the British Medical Journal. We have previously reviewed the BMJ app noting that “The app itself is cleverly designed and an excellent example of a print journal converted into electronic form“.

At the end of that article, we commented on the future possibility of using Newsstand as an electronic distribution method and now it seems that this is a reality.

UK users who download the BMJ app from the iTunes store will now be pleasantly surprised to see a new subscription added to their Newsstand. Once the user has subscribed/logged in, the app will check for new downloads and automatically collect the latest issue on a weekly basis. The app itself has remained unchanged and is in the same format that we were so impressed with last time. For more information on the app itself, please see our review here.

This marks an interesting point in the world of academic journals. As more and more healthcare professionals use mobile medical technology to access their publications, so the demand for resources like Newsstand increases. The BMJ is paving the way ahead for many other respectable journals to follow in their footsteps. There are now a number of major journals such as Circulation, Neurology, and Anesthiology amongst others who are releasing an electronic version alongside their paper version.

However, none of these are taking advantage of Apple’s Newsstand. This means that the user has to remember to manually download new editions when they become available

Newsstand is having a huge effect on the publishing industry driving sales and subscriptions up to record levels-The NY Times indicated that their app download rate jumped to seven times the previous level. Using the iPad as a content delivery platform ensures that access to essential information is now quicker, simpler and most importantly easier than ever before.

By improving content delivery, the BMJ, Newsstand and the iPad ensure that the latest evidence based information is in the hands of physicians in the most important place: on the front line.

iTunes link:

Over the past couple of weeks, iMedicalApps has taken a close look at Inkling, a company that is trying to revolutionize learning through next generation medical textbooks.

Each article first, second, and third has focused on a different aspect of Inkling and it seems only fair that they should have the opportunity to further explain what they do.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to one of Inklings webinars for industry professionals during which they demonstrated their vision for the future of medical education. Inkling were kind enough to let us publish these webinars for those who may be interested. In this fourth and final article, iMedicalApps brings you Inklings future of medical education.

The webinar by Matt Macinnis, CEO and Founder of Inkling, shows his vision for the future of medical education through medical textbooks. The webinar agenda is shown below:

• Introduction to Inkling
• A Brief History of Textbooks
• Demo of Inkling for Medical
• Guest Speakers
• Nadine Dexter, MLS
• Warren Wiechmann, M.D., MBA
• Conclusion

Inkling Medical Webinar from Inkling

The webinar is a really informative, inspiring vision for the future of medical education through mobile technology. I would advise all those involved in medical education to take some time out of their day to watch this. Please note it is 38 minutes long but well worth the time for the in-depth discussion of Inkling as a medical education resource.

Inkling Website

Apple’s education media event on Thursday suggests Apple are primed and ready to enter the world of digital publishing. As we pointed out in our last article, evidence suggests that Apple is likely to bring important changes to the iBook platform with a particular focus on academia and furthermore push into the education industry. Previously, thoughts have focused on Apple improving the iTunes U platform and trying to use this as a gateway into educational institutions. Others believe that Apple are planning on upgrading the iBooks platform and distribution method to remove the intermediates of the publishing industry.

A number of key players in this industry have made some interesting observations; Matt MacInnis, CEO of Inkling pointed out one of the main issues facing Apple is that they,

“do not have a history of building software specific to any particular vertical market, and so we believe they’ll continue to allow their developers to work in this area.

Cult Of Mac believe that Apple:

“intends to slowly take control of the book publishing industry… by providing the leading tools and cloud infrastructure for authors to create and then market their books directly to readers starting with the education segment of the publishing market.”

Interestingly, MacInnis had similar thoughts to this noting,

“We think Apple could devalue traditional textbooks, but not necessarily by replacing them with something data-driven, interactive and pedagogically sophisticated. Instead, we think Apple could make it easy for others to create baseline content that serves ostensibly the same purpose as a print book, pushing the market dollars in search of more effective learning tools.”

If Apple do introduce a system that connects textbook authors to readers and removes the intermediate publishers, we are likely to see an interesting future in medical textbooks. Apple may be trying to reinvent the iPad as a learning platform and content distribution service in much the same way as companies like Inkling and the Khan Academy are. Using Apple as a source of medical textbooks means that distribution costs may go down enabling easier access. Furthermore Apple is poised to bring a range of interactive features to iBooks as illustrated by their free release of the Yellow Submarine book which demonstrated a range of media, annotation and other creative features. If Apple do offer publishing tools and remove the intermediates in the publishing industry then we are likely to see a very exciting time as MacInnis says,

“Apple will encourage others to produce content for that ecosystem, and if they can reach a critical mass of content, they might very well make the traditional textbook obsolete for iPad users.”

whilst Cult Of Mac believes that,

“Apple will begin the long process of reinventing the textbook industry as a stepping stone to eventually reinventing the entire publishing industry.”

Apple taking control of publishing would have interesting ramifications in what has been a relatively inactive market. Imagine the possibilities of updates to textbooks being pushed to your iPad in the same simple fashion as updating an app. What is clear is that the future of publishing is not page-bound as the educational market has not responded well to textbooks that are essentially PDF copies.

Thanks to Matt MacInnis, CEO of Inkling for offering his unique insight into the issues facing companies such as Inkling in advance of Apple’s media announcement.

Source: Cult Of Mac

Anatomy is central in medicine. It is one of the key knowledge areas that separate doctors from the general population. All doctors, regardless of specialty are required to have a decent knowledge of human anatomy in order to practice effectively.

The introduction of the iPad ushered in a new era of anatomy learning with the introduction of detailed 3D models and vast amounts of information contained on a device no bigger than a paper notebook. Over the past few months, iMedicalApps has evaluated countless major anatomy apps currently available in the App Store to determine which ones are the best.

These applications were evaluated based on their content, ease of use, quality of anatomical illustrations and overall benefit to practicing physicians. A summary of each application is covered below including our choice for the best anatomy app.

Having comprehensively used these apps over a number of weeks, it is clear that there are a number of key apps which are ideal for use by practicing physicians and medical students alike. These are Pocket Body, Visible Body, Essentials Of Clinical Anatomy, and the NOVA Series.

Pocket Body

Price: $29.99

Pocket Body features a complete human model which can be viewed from 4 different orientations and 9 layers ranging from skin to skeleton. It has an intuitive user interface and contains a vast amount of learning material. The information supplied with each pin contains related information such as origin, insertion, innervation, clinical correlations as well as an ability to add individual notes. Pocket Body is completed by the addition of a robust quiz function and search function which means anatomical structures can be quickly located.

iTunes Link
Read the Full Review

Visible Body

Price: $29.99

Visible Body is a complete, fully interactive 3D rendering of the human body and may one day replace traditional texts. Visible body contains a beautiful and detailed 3D rendering of the entire human body which is complemented by the ability to fully manipulate the model and search for structures. Text explanations of each structure reduces the need to refer to another book for detailed information although there is limited clinical information. The level of detail is extraordinarily high although there complex nuances such as bone landmarks are occasionally absent.

One of the major strengths of this app is the ability to illustrate certain aspects of anatomy using a combination of clever shading and model selection. Selecting a structure will highlight it making it easy to see where the particular structure lies. Visible Body is completed by the addition of a search function which quickly finds and highlights the relevant anatomical structure. Overall, Visible Body is an excellent app at an unbelievably competitive price.

iTunes Link
Read the Full Review

Essentials of Clinical Anatomy By Inkling

Price: $64.99 with individual chapters available from $9.99

Essentials of Clinical Anatomy by Moore et al. is a renowned gross anatomy textbook which combines detailed anatomical information with a host of clinically relevant information. Inkling has successfully ported this textbook into an interactive format that combines a range of media, quizzes, high resolution images with a social dynamic to create a unique anatomical learning environment. While this book is designed for medical students who are learning the basics of clinical anatomy, it will definitely offer some use to healthcare professionals of all levels. We have covered some of the features offered in Inklings textbooks and all these are effectively implemented into Essentials of Clinical Anatomy.

Inkling Essential Clinical Anatomy
Read the Full Review

The NOVA Series Collection

Price: Varies from $10-20 per app

3D4Medical.com’s collection of applications based on their NOVA system have gained a number of positive reviews on this site. Apps such as Muscle System Pro II and Brain Pro contain detailed 3 dimensional models that can be fully manipulated and searched using a combination of unique touch gestures to remove layers. The NOVA series contains apps pertaining to every major aspect of anatomy such as Skeletal System, Muscles System, Nervous System, Urinary System and so on.

While each of these apps obviously has individual uses, it is necessary to purchase the complete set if you are looking for a complete anatomy set. The NOVA series is generally easy to use and is complemented by the quiz function and search functions. It is also useful to be able to add your own pins to relevant areas.

iTunes Link
Read the Full Review

There has been a recent growth in the range of medical and surgical treatments available in cosmetic dermatology.

The second edition of Color Atlas of Cosmetic Dermatology was originally written to provide a succinct yet broad overview of cosmetic therapy using a range of illustrations and photographs – an area where devices like the iPhone and iPad really shine.

Targeted at a niche group of healthcare providers, this app certainly gets the job done. Valuable information covering consultation, management, treatment and side effects of cosmetic procedures has not been lost in this transfer from physical book to electronic app.

From the contents page of this universal app, it is possible to access information related to 64 specific conditions/diseases which come under various headings including disorders of various glands, hair follicles, pigmentation, photoaging, vascular alterations and benign/malignant growths. This comprehensive reference is well designed ensuring relevant information can be found quickly and efficiently.

Each particular condition is consistently presented in the same fashion and includes important information such as pathogenesis, pathology, examination, key consultative questions, management and treatment options amongst many other sections. Each section is well presented and accompanied by a wide range of pictures including many illustrating before and after treatment.

Key details on the set-up of each procedure, and a review of the necessary equipment are also provided.

The developers have made an excellent effort to improve the readers experience and this is reflected in an excellent user interface. There are many useful features including a detailed search function, bookmark ability, note-taking and the built in ability to ‘jump’ to a particular section. This ensures that the key information is never more than a couple of taps away-a key point for any detailed reference texts such as the Color Atlas of Cosmetic Dermatology.

The color photographs have also been ‘tagged’ so they also show up in search results which is useful as dermatology is so reliant on visual inspection and examination. Color Atlas of Cosmetic Dermatology contains over 450 high resolution color photographs which can be manipulated using standard touch gestures.

One particular strength of this app is the inclusion of detailed bibliographies at the end of each section. These correspond to the end of chapters in the physical text and it is nice to see the inclusion of these in the app. This allows the end user to review the evidence for themselves and assess the risks and benefits of various treatments.

Price:

• $139.99

Likes:

• Lots of detailed color photos
• Excellent user interface for a textbook
• Evidence based references
• No internet access required
• Universal app

Dislikes/Future Updates I’d Like To See:

• It would be fantastic if the detailed references at the end of each section were linked to PubMed or Google so it would be easier to access the original papers.

Overall Rating:

• Color Atlas of Cosmetic Dermatology is an excellent reference resource for dermatologists who are looking for a complete yet concise guide to a wide range of cosmetic disorders
• The user interface is focused and presents information covering diagnosis, treatment, and procedures in an easily accessible format
• Whilst expensive, the price is comparable to the physical version.

iTunes link

Apple has planned a media event at the end of January in New York City with current speculation suggesting that Apple is preparing to revolutionize digital textbooks.

Isaacson first suggested in Steve Jobs biography that Apple were looking to hire textbook writers in order to create original digital textbooks on the iPad.

“His idea was to hire great textbook writers to create digital versions, and make them a feature of the iPad. In addition, he held meetings with major publishers, such as Pearson Education, about partnering with Apple.”

A source close to Apple released the following details:

• This event will focus on iTunes University and Apple in education
• I learned of the event back in September when it was originally scheduled for late Fall in New York but it was eventually postponed.
• The event will be in New York rather than in the Silicon Valley because New York is more centrally located for textbook and publishing.
• This initiative has been in the making for years.
• The announcement will be small in size but large in scope–a big announcement in a demure space.
• I expect at least two large project announcements as they relate to Apple in education.
• Steve Jobs was intinimately [sic] involved with this project before his passing. He gave a hat tip to the textbook side of this project in the Isaacson biography.
• This will not be a hardware-related announcement.

There are also further suggestions indicating the announcement could likely involve support for the EPUB 3 standard, which enables a wider variety of multimedia and interaction features.

All the evidence suggests that Apple is likely to bring important changes to the iBook platform with a particular focus on academia. We have already seen the successful creation of engaging interactive textbooks courtesy of Inkling whilst companies such as CourseSmart offer a wealth of titles to students.

Perhaps Apple is considering launching its own platform to compete with these eTextbook developers using its considerable resources. ArsTechnica notes “Digital textbooks represent another nascent market that Apple could potentially upend as it did with music and mobile apps”. If Apple does push into the education industry then we can expect to see more mobile technology integration into the classroom.

Source:MacRumours

In 2011 we did a review of the first interactive medical textbook, reported on major investments by mainstream publishers in digital platforms, and wrote extensively on the the distribution of iPads and other tablets to medical students, residents, and physicians.

Here at iMedicalApps we are always interested in ways to utilize mobile technology for a positive purpose — changing the way that healthcare professionals are trained certainly falls into that category.

CourseSmart offers a huge range of online digital textbooks which are easily accessible on a range of devices. We have previously introduced CourseSmart and recently reviewed the platform, concluding with some mixed impressions. We also had a chance to talk to CourseSmart’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jill Ambrose and ask her a few questions about CourseSmart and get some insight into the transformation of medical education.

Please tell us a little bit about the background and initial founding of CourseSmart

CourseSmart was founded in 2007 when a group of six higher education publishers partnered together to offer faculty a textbook evaluation service and students a new choice for buying and accessing their required textbooks online. The publishers included Pearson, Cengage Learning, McGraw-Hill Education, John Wiley & Sons, Houghton Mifflin and Bedford, Freeman and Worth Publishing Group (Macmillan).
Today, the company is recognized as the world’s largest provider of eTextbooks and digital course materials with more than 30 higher education publisher partners and over 20,000 eTextbooks and eResources available to our 2.5 million users.

What is the vision for CourseSmart as a company?

Our vision has always been to expand access to higher education and improve learning outcomes by connecting content producers with content users in the higher education space and offer:

• significant savings
• device agnostic access both online and offline
• superior reading experience
• advanced app technology
• unmatched campus integration.

The way in which students and faculty are consuming course materials is changing rapidly and we pride ourselves in staying ahead of these trends. We have a long list of industry firsts that include the first iPhone app in August of 2009, the first iPad app in April of 2010 and the first Android app in April of 2011, and the first mobile web app last month among others. We are continually enhancing our offering across all platforms and devices that connect users with our content.

CourseSmart has an enormous range of titles available-could you elaborate on the process by which titles are selected and transferred to electronic form?

We believe content is critical and a main differentiator between us and many of our competitors. How important is your offering to students if they can’t get the titles necessary to pass the class?

We rely on our publisher partners to provide the most current course materials in use today to ensure students are able to find their required course materials in digital form and can take advantage of all of the digital efficiencies that accompany our eTextbooks, including guaranteed, upfront savings of up to 60% when compared to print textbooks, anytime, anywhere access via any computer or web-enabled device, as well as the ability to “cache” their eTextbooks for usage offline. Our expertise in this end to end workflow allows us to obtain the content in a PDF file along with various metadata associated with the title. Our proprietary system manages the content ingestion and publishing processes so that students and faculty alike can find what they need quickly.

The reviews on iTunes of your CourseSmart iPad app seem largely negative with criticism directed toward a lack of multitasking, the repeated sign-in and a number of other issues. Do you feel that these reviews are justified?

Being the first to market with apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android, we have blazed the trail for many followers in the industry. Being first often means you have to anticipate the best features before the device is even in the market such as the iPad app. We get many of them right and listen carefully to our customers.

We take all feedback into account as we develop the next iterations of our mobile offerings to ensure we have the best offering on the market. The rating on each version of the iPad app is higher than the former version demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement. As we develop features to satisfy our customers’ needs, new feature needs arise. The requests that you are seeing in the reviews today are currently being evaluated for future development. We continuously strive to enhance our offerings to remain the top destination for accessing digital learning materials.

Has CourseSmart linked up with any medical schools to integrate technology and learning?

CourseSmart has partnered with hundreds of institutions to offer a comprehensive solution across a broad range of disciplines, and we have worked with several medical schools that now offer digital course materials specifically for their medical programs. As background, CourseSmart’s eTextbook platform can integrate with an institution’s learning management system, student information system or campus portal, enabling faculty and students to integrate their digital course materials directly into their workflow.

Where do you see the future of medical education?

Like the rest of the higher education industry, I believe many courses taught outside the lab or hospital will move online, offering flexibility to students. In addition, simulations and interactive learning will provide additional practical learning environments for students. Real time mobility of information will be a source for learning while in medical school with applications that will extend into future examination and operating rooms.

What does the future hold for CourseSmart?

We at CourseSmart will continue to innovate and provide a robust offering for the devices and platforms that are most in demand. The continued proliferation of Web-enabled mobile devices and campus WiFi will drive eTextbook and other digital materials growth. We will also see the growth of course materials with integrated assessment and automatic feedback for students (eResources) as they are utilized to improve learning outcomes.

Is there anything else you feel our readers should know about CourseSmart?

CourseSmart’s primary goal has always been to connect content providers with content users at the lowest cost possible in an effort to increase access to course materials and improve learning outcomes.

While eTextbook adoption is growing rapidly, many students still prefer print textbooks and this makes page fidelity crucial. CourseSmart enables all students, whether they are using a digital or print edition, to literally be on the same page. Further, CourseSmart’s eResources provide students with engaging experiences that result in higher learning outcomes. It’s not just about what’s “fun and interesting” in their eTextbooks but rather, what truly helps them to engage and ultimately, the comprehension of that learning experience.

Coursesmart Website