Update on personal digital assistant applications for the healthcare provider

To review the common general drug information applications and specialty drug information applications available for personal digital assistants (PDAs).

The literature was accessed through MEDLINE (2003-June 2004). Other information was obtained through secondary sources, such as Web sites describing common PDA applications as well as actual product trials. The key search terms used were handheld, PDA, personal digital assistants, drug information, pharmacokinetics, medical information, and medical applications.

Articles or studies that provided a review of drug information references for the PDA since 2002 were included. Data pertaining to cost and application size were obtained from product or vendor Web sites.

There are numerous medical applications available for the PDA including general drug information references, specialty drug information references (eg, pediatrics, cardiology, infectious diseases, oncology, psychology, herbals), diagnostic applications, medical calculators, nursing references, and patient tracking databases. Due to the huge array of programs, as well as factors such as cost and memory requirements, the healthcare provider must be selective in the medical applications that are placed on the PDA.

There are many excellent PDA drug information applications that provide fast and accurate drug information and other features that assist the healthcare provider.