Summary:
In summary, the Atlas of Emergency Medicine App represents a powerful resource for anyone working in the Emergency Department. In contrast to the Color Atlas of Family Medicine App, this App is much more streamlined (fewer sections –just the nitty gritty for diagnosis and ER management—and no Patient Resources or References) and features a more powerful search function, empowering it for rapid point-of-care use in the ER, especially with the portability afforded by mobile technology. Moreover, the Atlas App does not require any WiFi or 3G connection to use, a major plus in Emergency Rooms that often do not have 3G service (like ours at Barnes-Jewish Hospital).
Pricing: The Atlas of Emergency Medicine App is currently available at a price of $199.99 on the App store. By way of comparison, the 932-page hardcover version of the 3rd edition runs for $191.39 on Amazon.com.
Likes:
– No WiFi or 3G connection needed to use the App
– Very little superfluity—both in terms of clicks (no-frills user interface) and information (just the necessary information for ER diagnosis and management)
– >1500 high-quality clinical images, radiographs, EKG’s, and ultrasounds that can be magnified
Dislikes/Future Updates I’d Love to See:
– Similar to the Color Atlas of Family Medicine app, the user interface is somewhat “old school”- functional but no flashiness
– Text and Figures Searches are separate—a merged search function may have been more powerful
– The price (almost $200) — one would think the price of an electronic version would be cheaper due to the lack of printing material (in this case over 900 pages) required.
The Bottom Line:
The Atlas of Emergency Medicine does not disappoint as a comprehensive atlas with the appropriate breadth and depth and focus of content for an ER physician, and the App version is impressively streamlined, making it useful even as a point-of-care resource in the ED. If users are willing enough to pay $200 or persuasive enough to have the costs covered by their respective ER/residency program/medical school, we do recommend it as a useful reference and point-of-care tool for ER physicians, ER residents, and even students rotating in the ER, and would highly recommend it for anyone considering purchasing the hardcover version of the Atlas given the similar pricing but increased search and portability potential. Otherwise, the high cost may be prohibitive for many users.
iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-atlas-emergency-medicine/id398444164?mt=8
iPad Version:
The application’s overall user interface is basically the same on the iPad as it is the iPhone, but functions even better due to the increased screen size provided by the iPad. This is apparent in the screen shots we have taken of the application on the iPad.
