Epocrates

Epocrates: The first in a series of drug databases to be reviewed. Epocrates has a PDA and online version available at www.epocrates.com.

The database itself comes in several forms with different products all of which include free content updates, medical news, mobile CME learning center, MedTools applications, and international drug name indexes. MedTools contains a variety of screening and dosing tools such as BMI and obesity tool, drip rate calculator, INR calc, Heparin dosing protocol etc.

Mobile Devices:

Epocrates RX (free): drug monographs, health plan formularies, drug interaction checker, calculators
Epocrates RX Pro ($60/1 yr): The above and infectious disease treatment guide, alternative medicines, IV compatability checker
Epocrates Essentials ($149/ 1 yr): All the above and disease monographs, symptom assessment, diagnostic and laboratory tests
Epocrates Essentials Deluxe ($199/ 1 yr): All the above and ICD-9 and CPT codes, medical dictionary
Epocrates Coder ($70/ 1yr): CD-9 and CPT codes
Epocrates Medical Dictionary ($20/ 1yr): medical dictionary

These products include more than 3300 drugs, 1200 diseases, 400 alternative medication, 100,000 medical terms, over 30 medical formulas, hundreds of tests and panels as well as 20,000 ICd-9 codes. The drug interaction tool can check 30 drugs at a time and the IV compatability tool references Kings Guide. Each mobile version also includes MyEpocrates which allows you to create shortcuts, add notes to drug monographs, view your Rx look up history, change your default screen, and add whichever MedTools you'd like.

Online Version:

Epocrates Online (free): Drug monographs, health plan and hospital insurance formularies, drug interaction checker, full color pill pictures, patient medication handout (spanish/ english)
Epocrates Online Premium ($60/ 1 yr): All the above plus Pill identifier, clinical tables and guidelines, Med calculators, alternative medicines

If you'd like to learn how to better use the software there is a Tips page at

http://www.epocrates.com/products/tips/

The products themselves are both Palm and PocketPC compatible, however some of the MedTools are Palm only and neither are available for smartphone use.

Overall Epocrates gives good information and is very easy to use. You can search by drug class as well as brand and generic name. Pregnancy and lactation information seems limited and is found under the safety monitoring tab.