8 Great Apps for Ob/Gyns

According to a report from Research and Markets, mobile healthcare apps and devices are expected to grow at a rate of 61% each year to garner a market share of $26 billion by 2017. The report also emphasizes the growing popularity of mobile health apps within five years (experts estimate the 50% professional healthcare community will use some kind of app).

The reason for app growth is pretty clear: the increase in smartphone adoption means that healthcare professionals now can access patient information and data on the go, which is valuable for professionals who need this critical data to make snap decisions and share insights with professionals.

OB/GYNs are among the adaptors of these apps, and while there are many generic apps out there, there are a few specifically tailored towards the medical community who want to keep up with research, perform calculations, and manage neonates and pediatrics. Here are eight must have apps for the OB/GYN community.

Name: OB-Gyn Constellation^™ All-in-One Ob/Gyn Solution by Skyscape Why: A comprehensive and dynamic yet customizable solution for OB/GYN professionals that integrates trusted tools for doctors. You’ll find a prescription guide for physicians, a comprehensive handbook on adverse drug interactions, a medical calculator including a gestation calculator, as well as ACCF/AHA Guideline recommendations. Tip: The Constellation is actually a bundle of specific Skyscape products including a) The Johns Hopkins Manual of Gynecology and Obstetrics ; Drug Guide for Physicians; The Medical Letter's Adverse Drug Interactions Tool; MobileDDx^™ Differential Diagnosis Tool; Archimedes 360° ^™ Medical Calculator (Including pregnancy calculators); ICD-9-CM Coding Tool; and MedAlert - Medical Alerts and Clinical Summaries. Cost: $109

Name: Case Files: Obstetrics & Gynecology by McGrawHill/LANGE Why: Doctors can store all their case information here one by one. The app allows you to access information by case number and by diseases (you can store up to 60 cases). It also gives you a handy “how to approach clinical problems” checklist. Tip: Although the app is free, it will allow you to access only the first case. Additional features like the Study Quiz and access to cases 2-60 requires you to buy the full app, which is $29.99 Cost: $29.99

Name: OB/GYN Made Easy Why: An easy and inexpensive way to store every bit of your patient data in a convenient spot, including admission notes and dates, delivery notes, and postpartum notes. There’s also a section of the app with literature on the optimal way to perform fetal heart monitoring, as well as resources on obstetric complications. Tip: For further reading, the app also recommends books on OB/GYN with information that may not be found on the app. Cost: $2.99

Name: Contemporary OB/GYN Magazine App Why:  Access issues of the magazine completely free on your downloaded app. The app is a handy and portable solution to doctors taking home hard copies of the magazine which is typically a $110 subscription for 12 months. Tip: For better viewing, access the app through your iPad. Search for OB/GYN on your App store. Cost: Free

Name: My Case List from Omega Dawn Corporation Why: An excellent tool to organize all patient cases with detailed information including gestational age, number of days in the hospital, diagnosis, postpartum depression etc. Each patient case file will also contain areas where the doctor can input neonate information and procedure information. Tip: Medical professionals can also keep a bird’s eye view track of the number of transabdominal sonograms they have performed. You can also erase all data and “reset” under the tab “Options.” Cost: $1.99

Name: Nursing OB/GYN Deluxe Why: An app for nurses, this study aid gives you information on delivery standards, neonatology, anesthesia information and sonograms. The decks include the Basics, Drugs, Labor Delivery, Postpartum, Neonatology, Sonography, Fetal Development and Anesthesia. You can access this on all devices including desktops and tablets. Tip: iPhone users need to have iOS 6 before they can install this free app. Cost: Free

Name: Sonography Education OB/GYN Tests Why: This convenient app gives you two types of tests and quizzes you on the basics you need to know for your sonography exam. You can click on a particular topic (e.g. Femur Length, Abdominal Circumference, Fetal Heart Rate etc.) and get a sneak peek of the answers in case you don’t know the answers to them. A brief definition of each is included so you can get a bird’s eye view of all the terms you’ll be expected to have mastered by the time you take your exam. Tip: Click on the charts for more information. Cost: $4.99

Name: ARDMS OB/GYN Abdomen and Physics Ultrasound e-Flash Cards Why: Visual ultrasound quizzes from the ARDMS OB/GYN boards and other OB/GYN questions including those in fertility give you a sound grasp of the profession in these handy e-flash card app. You’ll get a set of about hundreds of images and many quizzes to hone your knowledge. The entire app contains 2080 flashcards. Tip: You can study by OBGYN; Abdomen; Physics and Sonography Principles and Instrumentation topics. Cost: $49.99