App Review

Evidence-based research and guidelines regarding contraception are continually changing. Health care providers often have difficulty memorizing and staying up-to-date on all the important developments around family planning. Those who provide contraceptive counseling may not all use guidelines to inform their choices, and some may have misperceptions about patient eligibility for certain methods.^1,2 Mobile health applications (apps) that present this information in an easily accessible fashion have the potential to improve family planning services.

In a search for contraception apps, Dr. Rachel Perry and colleagues identified two contraception apps that were evaluated highly: 1) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (MEC) app and 2) the iContraception app.³

Two free contraception apps for clinician use. Both the CDC Contraception and iContraception apps are based on CDC MEC information and provide guidance on contraceptive initiation and maintenance.⁴ Notably, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) endorses the use of the CDC MEC.⁵

These two apps can aid physicians in prescribing appropriate and safe contraceptive methods and can help them tailor the extensive CDC MEC guidelines for an individual patient. Additionally, the iContraception app allows a user to input multiple clinical and demographic characteristics to determine an individual patient’s eligibility for a specific contraceptive method (that is, it incorporates a clinical decision tree).

The recommended contraception apps are listed in the TABLE and are detailed with a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).⁶ I hope that the apps described here will assist you in managing patients who need contraception counseling.

Evidence-based research and guidelines regarding contraception are continually changing. Health care providers often have difficulty memorizing and staying up-to-date on all the important developments around family planning. Those who provide contraceptive counseling may not all use guidelines to inform their choices, and some may have misperceptions about patient eligibility for certain methods.^1,2 Mobile health applications (apps) that present this information in an easily accessible fashion have the potential to improve family planning services.

In a search for contraception apps, Dr. Rachel Perry and colleagues identified two contraception apps that were evaluated highly: 1) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (MEC) app and 2) the iContraception app.³

Two free contraception apps for clinician use. Both the CDC Contraception and iContraception apps are based on CDC MEC information and provide guidance on contraceptive initiation and maintenance.⁴ Notably, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) endorses the use of the CDC MEC.⁵

These two apps can aid physicians in prescribing appropriate and safe contraceptive methods and can help them tailor the extensive CDC MEC guidelines for an individual patient. Additionally, the iContraception app allows a user to input multiple clinical and demographic characteristics to determine an individual patient’s eligibility for a specific contraceptive method (that is, it incorporates a clinical decision tree).

The recommended contraception apps are listed in the TABLE and are detailed with a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).⁶ I hope that the apps described here will assist you in managing patients who need contraception counseling.

Evidence-based research and guidelines regarding contraception are continually changing. Health care providers often have difficulty memorizing and staying up-to-date on all the important developments around family planning. Those who provide contraceptive counseling may not all use guidelines to inform their choices, and some may have misperceptions about patient eligibility for certain methods.^1,2 Mobile health applications (apps) that present this information in an easily accessible fashion have the potential to improve family planning services.

In a search for contraception apps, Dr. Rachel Perry and colleagues identified two contraception apps that were evaluated highly: 1) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (MEC) app and 2) the iContraception app.³

Two free contraception apps for clinician use. Both the CDC Contraception and iContraception apps are based on CDC MEC information and provide guidance on contraceptive initiation and maintenance.⁴ Notably, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) endorses the use of the CDC MEC.⁵

These two apps can aid physicians in prescribing appropriate and safe contraceptive methods and can help them tailor the extensive CDC MEC guidelines for an individual patient. Additionally, the iContraception app allows a user to input multiple clinical and demographic characteristics to determine an individual patient’s eligibility for a specific contraceptive method (that is, it incorporates a clinical decision tree).

The recommended contraception apps are listed in the TABLE and are detailed with a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).⁶ I hope that the apps described here will assist you in managing patients who need contraception counseling.

The most useful applications (apps) for health care professionals and students? Medical calculator apps (along with drug reference and disease diagnosis apps), according to surveys of clinicians and students.^1,2 The utility of calculator apps to these groups is not surprising; calculator apps fall in the category of clinical decision-making apps, which also includes decision support systems, clinical treatment guidelines, disease diagnosis aids, differential diagnosis aids, laboratory test ordering, laboratory test interpretation, and medical exams.³ Calculator apps obviously save time as most health care providers have not memorized the many medical formulas and do not have computational speed. I have previously discussed other, more ObGyn-specific calculators, such as due date calculators.^4,5 In this App Review column, however, I would like to highlight 3 general calculator apps: Calculate by QxMD, CliniCalc Medical Calculator, and Medscape. Researchers found all 3 apps 100% accurate and contained the most functions desired by internists.⁶ The apps are available at no cost and include many unique calculators. My colleagues and I actually used Calculate by QxMD to verify calculations in a previous study.⁷

A clinical example for how to apply calculators in practice is as follows: A multiparous patient at term has undergone an unscheduled cesarean delivery for arrest of dilation and intra-amniotic infection. You need to decide if the patient requires anti‑coagulants for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis and her necessary daily dose for gentamicin for postpartum infection prophylaxis. You can use Medscape’s body mass index (BMI) calculator to find out that this patient’s BMI is 45 kg/m² and that DVT prophylaxis is in fact indicated. You also can use QxMD’s ideal body weight calculator to get the patient’s weight and determine the appropriate daily dose for gentamicin.

The TABLE provides more information on the apps, with its inclusions based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).⁷

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The most useful applications (apps) for health care professionals and students? Medical calculator apps (along with drug reference and disease diagnosis apps), according to surveys of clinicians and students.^1,2 The utility of calculator apps to these groups is not surprising; calculator apps fall in the category of clinical decision-making apps, which also includes decision support systems, clinical treatment guidelines, disease diagnosis aids, differential diagnosis aids, laboratory test ordering, laboratory test interpretation, and medical exams.³ Calculator apps obviously save time as most health care providers have not memorized the many medical formulas and do not have computational speed. I have previously discussed other, more ObGyn-specific calculators, such as due date calculators.^4,5 In this App Review column, however, I would like to highlight 3 general calculator apps: Calculate by QxMD, CliniCalc Medical Calculator, and Medscape. Researchers found all 3 apps 100% accurate and contained the most functions desired by internists.⁶ The apps are available at no cost and include many unique calculators. My colleagues and I actually used Calculate by QxMD to verify calculations in a previous study.⁷

A clinical example for how to apply calculators in practice is as follows: A multiparous patient at term has undergone an unscheduled cesarean delivery for arrest of dilation and intra-amniotic infection. You need to decide if the patient requires anti‑coagulants for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis and her necessary daily dose for gentamicin for postpartum infection prophylaxis. You can use Medscape’s body mass index (BMI) calculator to find out that this patient’s BMI is 45 kg/m² and that DVT prophylaxis is in fact indicated. You also can use QxMD’s ideal body weight calculator to get the patient’s weight and determine the appropriate daily dose for gentamicin.

The TABLE provides more information on the apps, with its inclusions based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).⁷

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The most useful applications (apps) for health care professionals and students? Medical calculator apps (along with drug reference and disease diagnosis apps), according to surveys of clinicians and students.^1,2 The utility of calculator apps to these groups is not surprising; calculator apps fall in the category of clinical decision-making apps, which also includes decision support systems, clinical treatment guidelines, disease diagnosis aids, differential diagnosis aids, laboratory test ordering, laboratory test interpretation, and medical exams.³ Calculator apps obviously save time as most health care providers have not memorized the many medical formulas and do not have computational speed. I have previously discussed other, more ObGyn-specific calculators, such as due date calculators.^4,5 In this App Review column, however, I would like to highlight 3 general calculator apps: Calculate by QxMD, CliniCalc Medical Calculator, and Medscape. Researchers found all 3 apps 100% accurate and contained the most functions desired by internists.⁶ The apps are available at no cost and include many unique calculators. My colleagues and I actually used Calculate by QxMD to verify calculations in a previous study.⁷

A clinical example for how to apply calculators in practice is as follows: A multiparous patient at term has undergone an unscheduled cesarean delivery for arrest of dilation and intra-amniotic infection. You need to decide if the patient requires anti‑coagulants for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis and her necessary daily dose for gentamicin for postpartum infection prophylaxis. You can use Medscape’s body mass index (BMI) calculator to find out that this patient’s BMI is 45 kg/m² and that DVT prophylaxis is in fact indicated. You also can use QxMD’s ideal body weight calculator to get the patient’s weight and determine the appropriate daily dose for gentamicin.

The TABLE provides more information on the apps, with its inclusions based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).⁷

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a US federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. It is the nation’s leading public health institute. Its main goal is to save lives and protect people from health, safety, and security threats. The CDC website lists 25 no-cost applications that the agency has developed: https://www.cdc.gov/mobile/mobileapp.html.

This review will focus on 3 CDC apps (Table) that I feel are useful to ObGyn health care providers: Prevent Group B Strep (GBS), STD Tx Guide, and US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use. In fact, in an evaluation of contraception apps for providers of family planning services, US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use was one of the highest scoring apps.¹ I will evaluate each app by a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).² I commend the CDC for developing these useful tools to assist health care providers.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a US federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. It is the nation’s leading public health institute. Its main goal is to save lives and protect people from health, safety, and security threats. The CDC website lists 25 no-cost applications that the agency has developed: https://www.cdc.gov/mobile/mobileapp.html.

This review will focus on 3 CDC apps (Table) that I feel are useful to ObGyn health care providers: Prevent Group B Strep (GBS), STD Tx Guide, and US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use. In fact, in an evaluation of contraception apps for providers of family planning services, US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use was one of the highest scoring apps.¹ I will evaluate each app by a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).² I commend the CDC for developing these useful tools to assist health care providers.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a US federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. It is the nation’s leading public health institute. Its main goal is to save lives and protect people from health, safety, and security threats. The CDC website lists 25 no-cost applications that the agency has developed: https://www.cdc.gov/mobile/mobileapp.html.

This review will focus on 3 CDC apps (Table) that I feel are useful to ObGyn health care providers: Prevent Group B Strep (GBS), STD Tx Guide, and US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use. In fact, in an evaluation of contraception apps for providers of family planning services, US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use was one of the highest scoring apps.¹ I will evaluate each app by a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).² I commend the CDC for developing these useful tools to assist health care providers.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

Mobile applications are useful for clinical decision making. An example is in the area of cervical cancer screening. The incidence of cervical cancer and mortality from the disease in the United States has decreased with the implementation of cervical cancer screening programs.¹ However, being up to date on the guidelines can be challenging. In 2001, the revised Bethesda system terminology for reporting cervical cytology results became available. In response, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) developed comprehensive, evidence-based consensus guidelines to assist health care providers in managing abnormal screening results. In 2006, the guidelines were revised, and in 2012, revised again.²

In a search in the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores for apps useful for gynecologic oncology providers, Dr. Sara Farag, colleagues, and I identified and evaluated highly 2 cervical cancer screening apps: ASCCP Mobile and Pap Reader.³ These apps can aid any health care provider who performs Pap smear screening and who manages screening results.

ASCCP Mobile includes follow-up guidelines regarding colposcopy results as well as guidelines for posthysterectomy and pregnant women. The app also has a clinical decision support system (an active knowledge system that uses 2 or more items of patient data to generate case-specific advice).

Pap Reader includes guidelines for postmenopausal and pregnant women and also has a clinical decision support system. Unlike ASCCP Mobile, Pap Reader is free.

The recommended cervical cancer screening apps are listed in the TABLE alphabetically and are detailed with a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).⁴ I hope these apps will assist you in your management of patients who undergo Pap smear screening.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

Mobile applications are useful for clinical decision making. An example is in the area of cervical cancer screening. The incidence of cervical cancer and mortality from the disease in the United States has decreased with the implementation of cervical cancer screening programs.¹ However, being up to date on the guidelines can be challenging. In 2001, the revised Bethesda system terminology for reporting cervical cytology results became available. In response, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) developed comprehensive, evidence-based consensus guidelines to assist health care providers in managing abnormal screening results. In 2006, the guidelines were revised, and in 2012, revised again.²

In a search in the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores for apps useful for gynecologic oncology providers, Dr. Sara Farag, colleagues, and I identified and evaluated highly 2 cervical cancer screening apps: ASCCP Mobile and Pap Reader.³ These apps can aid any health care provider who performs Pap smear screening and who manages screening results.

ASCCP Mobile includes follow-up guidelines regarding colposcopy results as well as guidelines for posthysterectomy and pregnant women. The app also has a clinical decision support system (an active knowledge system that uses 2 or more items of patient data to generate case-specific advice).

Pap Reader includes guidelines for postmenopausal and pregnant women and also has a clinical decision support system. Unlike ASCCP Mobile, Pap Reader is free.

The recommended cervical cancer screening apps are listed in the TABLE alphabetically and are detailed with a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).⁴ I hope these apps will assist you in your management of patients who undergo Pap smear screening.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

Mobile applications are useful for clinical decision making. An example is in the area of cervical cancer screening. The incidence of cervical cancer and mortality from the disease in the United States has decreased with the implementation of cervical cancer screening programs.¹ However, being up to date on the guidelines can be challenging. In 2001, the revised Bethesda system terminology for reporting cervical cytology results became available. In response, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) developed comprehensive, evidence-based consensus guidelines to assist health care providers in managing abnormal screening results. In 2006, the guidelines were revised, and in 2012, revised again.²

In a search in the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores for apps useful for gynecologic oncology providers, Dr. Sara Farag, colleagues, and I identified and evaluated highly 2 cervical cancer screening apps: ASCCP Mobile and Pap Reader.³ These apps can aid any health care provider who performs Pap smear screening and who manages screening results.

ASCCP Mobile includes follow-up guidelines regarding colposcopy results as well as guidelines for posthysterectomy and pregnant women. The app also has a clinical decision support system (an active knowledge system that uses 2 or more items of patient data to generate case-specific advice).

Pap Reader includes guidelines for postmenopausal and pregnant women and also has a clinical decision support system. Unlike ASCCP Mobile, Pap Reader is free.

The recommended cervical cancer screening apps are listed in the TABLE alphabetically and are detailed with a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).⁴ I hope these apps will assist you in your management of patients who undergo Pap smear screening.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@mdedge.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.