Katherine T. Chen, MD, MPH

Thousands of medical apps are available for smart mobile devices; however, identifying accurate and high-quality apps poses a challenge to health care providers. In the field of urogynecology, also known as female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS), the authors of a recent study identified and rated a number of apps for use by urogynecologists.¹

The 3 apps featured here are all free and are both informational and clinical decision-making apps.

Informational apps include one or more of the following datasets in a given condition: epidemiology, etiology/pathophysiology, histology/pathology, clinical presentation, treatment, follow-up care, prevention, and/or prognosis.

Clinical decision-making apps may have the following functionalities within the app: clinical decision support systems, clinical treatment guidelines, disease diagnosis aids, differential diagnosis aids, medical calculators, laboratory test ordering, laboratory test interpretation, and/or medical exams.

The TABLE details the features of these recommended apps based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).² I hope urogynecologists view these apps as innovative educational resources that provide quick medical knowledge and pelvic floor patient education.

Thousands of medical apps are available for smart mobile devices; however, identifying accurate and high-quality apps poses a challenge to health care providers. In the field of urogynecology, also known as female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS), the authors of a recent study identified and rated a number of apps for use by urogynecologists.¹

The 3 apps featured here are all free and are both informational and clinical decision-making apps.

Informational apps include one or more of the following datasets in a given condition: epidemiology, etiology/pathophysiology, histology/pathology, clinical presentation, treatment, follow-up care, prevention, and/or prognosis.

Clinical decision-making apps may have the following functionalities within the app: clinical decision support systems, clinical treatment guidelines, disease diagnosis aids, differential diagnosis aids, medical calculators, laboratory test ordering, laboratory test interpretation, and/or medical exams.

The TABLE details the features of these recommended apps based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).² I hope urogynecologists view these apps as innovative educational resources that provide quick medical knowledge and pelvic floor patient education.

Thousands of medical apps are available for smart mobile devices; however, identifying accurate and high-quality apps poses a challenge to health care providers. In the field of urogynecology, also known as female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS), the authors of a recent study identified and rated a number of apps for use by urogynecologists.¹

The 3 apps featured here are all free and are both informational and clinical decision-making apps.

Informational apps include one or more of the following datasets in a given condition: epidemiology, etiology/pathophysiology, histology/pathology, clinical presentation, treatment, follow-up care, prevention, and/or prognosis.

Clinical decision-making apps may have the following functionalities within the app: clinical decision support systems, clinical treatment guidelines, disease diagnosis aids, differential diagnosis aids, medical calculators, laboratory test ordering, laboratory test interpretation, and/or medical exams.

The TABLE details the features of these recommended apps based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).² I hope urogynecologists view these apps as innovative educational resources that provide quick medical knowledge and pelvic floor patient education.

In North America, women experience menopause (the permanent cessation of menstruation due to loss of ovarian activity) at a median age of 51 years. They may experience symptoms of perimenopause, or the menopause transition, for several years before menstruation ceases. Menopausal symptoms include vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flushes, and vaginal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse.¹

Women may have questions about treating menopausal symptoms, maintaining their health, and preventing such age-related diseases as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The decision to treat menopausal symptoms is challenging for women as well as their clinicians given that recommendations have changed over the past few years.

A free app with multiple features. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has developed a no-cost mobile health application called MenoPro for menopausal symptom management based on the organization’s 2017 recommendations.² The app has 2 modes: one for clinicians and one for women/patients to support shared decision making.

For clinicians, the app helps identify which patients with menopausal symptoms are candidates for pharmacologic treatment and the options for optimal therapy. The app also can be used to calculate a 10-year cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) risk assessment. In addition, it contains links to a breast cancer risk assessment as well as an osteoporosis/bone fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX model calculator). Finally, MenoPro includes NAMS’s educational materials and information pages on lifestyle modifications to reduce hot flushes, contraindications and cautions to hormone therapy, pros and cons of hormonal versus nonhormonal options, a comparison of oral (pills) and transdermal (patches, gels, sprays) therapies, treatment options for vaginal dryness and pain with sexual activities, and direct links to tables with the various formulations and doses of medications.

The TABLE details the features of the MenoPro app based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).³ I hope that the app described here will assist you in caring for women in the menopausal transition.

In North America, women experience menopause (the permanent cessation of menstruation due to loss of ovarian activity) at a median age of 51 years. They may experience symptoms of perimenopause, or the menopause transition, for several years before menstruation ceases. Menopausal symptoms include vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flushes, and vaginal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse.¹

Women may have questions about treating menopausal symptoms, maintaining their health, and preventing such age-related diseases as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The decision to treat menopausal symptoms is challenging for women as well as their clinicians given that recommendations have changed over the past few years.

A free app with multiple features. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has developed a no-cost mobile health application called MenoPro for menopausal symptom management based on the organization’s 2017 recommendations.² The app has 2 modes: one for clinicians and one for women/patients to support shared decision making.

For clinicians, the app helps identify which patients with menopausal symptoms are candidates for pharmacologic treatment and the options for optimal therapy. The app also can be used to calculate a 10-year cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) risk assessment. In addition, it contains links to a breast cancer risk assessment as well as an osteoporosis/bone fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX model calculator). Finally, MenoPro includes NAMS’s educational materials and information pages on lifestyle modifications to reduce hot flushes, contraindications and cautions to hormone therapy, pros and cons of hormonal versus nonhormonal options, a comparison of oral (pills) and transdermal (patches, gels, sprays) therapies, treatment options for vaginal dryness and pain with sexual activities, and direct links to tables with the various formulations and doses of medications.

The TABLE details the features of the MenoPro app based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).³ I hope that the app described here will assist you in caring for women in the menopausal transition.

In North America, women experience menopause (the permanent cessation of menstruation due to loss of ovarian activity) at a median age of 51 years. They may experience symptoms of perimenopause, or the menopause transition, for several years before menstruation ceases. Menopausal symptoms include vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flushes, and vaginal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse.¹

Women may have questions about treating menopausal symptoms, maintaining their health, and preventing such age-related diseases as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The decision to treat menopausal symptoms is challenging for women as well as their clinicians given that recommendations have changed over the past few years.

A free app with multiple features. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has developed a no-cost mobile health application called MenoPro for menopausal symptom management based on the organization’s 2017 recommendations.² The app has 2 modes: one for clinicians and one for women/patients to support shared decision making.

For clinicians, the app helps identify which patients with menopausal symptoms are candidates for pharmacologic treatment and the options for optimal therapy. The app also can be used to calculate a 10-year cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) risk assessment. In addition, it contains links to a breast cancer risk assessment as well as an osteoporosis/bone fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX model calculator). Finally, MenoPro includes NAMS’s educational materials and information pages on lifestyle modifications to reduce hot flushes, contraindications and cautions to hormone therapy, pros and cons of hormonal versus nonhormonal options, a comparison of oral (pills) and transdermal (patches, gels, sprays) therapies, treatment options for vaginal dryness and pain with sexual activities, and direct links to tables with the various formulations and doses of medications.

The TABLE details the features of the MenoPro app based on a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature used, and important special features).³ I hope that the app described here will assist you in caring for women in the menopausal transition.

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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a nonprofit organization of women’s health care physicians advocating the highest standards of practice, continuing member education, and public awareness of women’s health care issues.¹ The organization has long recognized the impact that social media and mobile technology would have for itself as well as its membership. ACOG published a Social Media Guide in 2012, featuring a section on how to use apps in ObGyn practice and provided a list of apps for ObGyns and their patients.²

ACOG introduced its own app 4 years ago and has since updated the app several times, most recently on December 6, 2017. The ACOG app has a useful search function, a home button, and a place for users to email feedback (TABLE 1). The app most importantly contains several applets (small applications designed to perform a specific function within the main application). These applets encompass 3 types of apps for health care providers: clinical decision-making apps (Practice Bulletins, Committee Opinions, an Estimated Due Date Calculator that was featured in a prior review,³ Indicated Delivery, and Immunize) (TABLE 2), reference and information gathering apps (Today’s Headlines), and member support apps (ACOG Contacts, Careers, Annual Meeting, Districts, Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology [CREOG], and Website).⁴

This review will focus on the main ACOG app, which is evaluated by a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).⁵ In addition, the clinical decision-making applets will be highlighted in a second table. I commend ACOG for developing these useful tools to augment their members’ practices. Of note, for the Practice Bulletins and Indicated Delivery applets, users will need to input their ACOG log-in access information.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a nonprofit organization of women’s health care physicians advocating the highest standards of practice, continuing member education, and public awareness of women’s health care issues.¹ The organization has long recognized the impact that social media and mobile technology would have for itself as well as its membership. ACOG published a Social Media Guide in 2012, featuring a section on how to use apps in ObGyn practice and provided a list of apps for ObGyns and their patients.²

ACOG introduced its own app 4 years ago and has since updated the app several times, most recently on December 6, 2017. The ACOG app has a useful search function, a home button, and a place for users to email feedback (TABLE 1). The app most importantly contains several applets (small applications designed to perform a specific function within the main application). These applets encompass 3 types of apps for health care providers: clinical decision-making apps (Practice Bulletins, Committee Opinions, an Estimated Due Date Calculator that was featured in a prior review,³ Indicated Delivery, and Immunize) (TABLE 2), reference and information gathering apps (Today’s Headlines), and member support apps (ACOG Contacts, Careers, Annual Meeting, Districts, Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology [CREOG], and Website).⁴

This review will focus on the main ACOG app, which is evaluated by a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).⁵ In addition, the clinical decision-making applets will be highlighted in a second table. I commend ACOG for developing these useful tools to augment their members’ practices. Of note, for the Practice Bulletins and Indicated Delivery applets, users will need to input their ACOG log-in access information.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a nonprofit organization of women’s health care physicians advocating the highest standards of practice, continuing member education, and public awareness of women’s health care issues.¹ The organization has long recognized the impact that social media and mobile technology would have for itself as well as its membership. ACOG published a Social Media Guide in 2012, featuring a section on how to use apps in ObGyn practice and provided a list of apps for ObGyns and their patients.²

ACOG introduced its own app 4 years ago and has since updated the app several times, most recently on December 6, 2017. The ACOG app has a useful search function, a home button, and a place for users to email feedback (TABLE 1). The app most importantly contains several applets (small applications designed to perform a specific function within the main application). These applets encompass 3 types of apps for health care providers: clinical decision-making apps (Practice Bulletins, Committee Opinions, an Estimated Due Date Calculator that was featured in a prior review,³ Indicated Delivery, and Immunize) (TABLE 2), reference and information gathering apps (Today’s Headlines), and member support apps (ACOG Contacts, Careers, Annual Meeting, Districts, Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology [CREOG], and Website).⁴

This review will focus on the main ACOG app, which is evaluated by a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system, APPLI (app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features).⁵ In addition, the clinical decision-making applets will be highlighted in a second table. I commend ACOG for developing these useful tools to augment their members’ practices. Of note, for the Practice Bulletins and Indicated Delivery applets, users will need to input their ACOG log-in access information.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

According to the 2015 US Census Bureau, more than 60 million individuals—about 19% of Americans—reported speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 25 million reported their English-speaking ability as less than “very well.” The top five non-English languages spoken at home were Spanish, French, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, encompassing 72% of non-English speakers. ^1,2

In the health care sector, translator services are essential for providing accurate and culturally competent care. Current options for translator services include face-to-face interpreters, phone-based translator services, and translator apps on mobile devices. In settings where face-to-face interpreters or phone-based translator services are not available, translator apps may be a reasonable alternative.

THREE TYPES OF TRANSLATOR APPS

Preset medical phrase translator apps require the user to search for or find a question or statement in order to facilitate a conversation. With these types of apps, a health care provider can choose fully conjugated sentences, which then can be played or read back to the patient in the chosen translated language. Within this group of apps, Canopy Speak and Universal Doctor Speaker are highly accessible, since both apps are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores and both are free.

Medical dictionary apps require the user to search for a medical term in one language to receive a translation in another language. These apps are less practical, but they can help providers find and define specific terms in a given language.

General language translator apps require the user to enter a term, statement, or question in one language and then provide a translation in another language. Google Translate and Vocre Translate are examples.

Recommended apps

My colleagues, Dr. Amrin Khander and Dr. Sara Farag, and I identified and evaluated medical translator apps that are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores, to aid clinicians in using such apps during clinical encounters with non-English speakers.³

The top recommended translator apps are listed in the table, evaluated with criteria from a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system: app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features.⁴ We hope these tools will help you enhance communication with your patients who have limited English proficiency.

According to the 2015 US Census Bureau, more than 60 million individuals—about 19% of Americans—reported speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 25 million reported their English-speaking ability as less than “very well.” The top five non-English languages spoken at home were Spanish, French, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, encompassing 72% of non-English speakers. ^1,2

In the health care sector, translator services are essential for providing accurate and culturally competent care. Current options for translator services include face-to-face interpreters, phone-based translator services, and translator apps on mobile devices. In settings where face-to-face interpreters or phone-based translator services are not available, translator apps may be a reasonable alternative.

THREE TYPES OF TRANSLATOR APPS

Preset medical phrase translator apps require the user to search for or find a question or statement in order to facilitate a conversation. With these types of apps, a health care provider can choose fully conjugated sentences, which then can be played or read back to the patient in the chosen translated language. Within this group of apps, Canopy Speak and Universal Doctor Speaker are highly accessible, since both apps are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores and both are free.

Medical dictionary apps require the user to search for a medical term in one language to receive a translation in another language. These apps are less practical, but they can help providers find and define specific terms in a given language.

General language translator apps require the user to enter a term, statement, or question in one language and then provide a translation in another language. Google Translate and Vocre Translate are examples.

Recommended apps

My colleagues, Dr. Amrin Khander and Dr. Sara Farag, and I identified and evaluated medical translator apps that are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores, to aid clinicians in using such apps during clinical encounters with non-English speakers.³

The top recommended translator apps are listed in the table, evaluated with criteria from a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system: app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features.⁴ We hope these tools will help you enhance communication with your patients who have limited English proficiency.

According to the 2015 US Census Bureau, more than 60 million individuals—about 19% of Americans—reported speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 25 million reported their English-speaking ability as less than “very well.” The top five non-English languages spoken at home were Spanish, French, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, encompassing 72% of non-English speakers. ^1,2

In the health care sector, translator services are essential for providing accurate and culturally competent care. Current options for translator services include face-to-face interpreters, phone-based translator services, and translator apps on mobile devices. In settings where face-to-face interpreters or phone-based translator services are not available, translator apps may be a reasonable alternative.

THREE TYPES OF TRANSLATOR APPS

Preset medical phrase translator apps require the user to search for or find a question or statement in order to facilitate a conversation. With these types of apps, a health care provider can choose fully conjugated sentences, which then can be played or read back to the patient in the chosen translated language. Within this group of apps, Canopy Speak and Universal Doctor Speaker are highly accessible, since both apps are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores and both are free.

Medical dictionary apps require the user to search for a medical term in one language to receive a translation in another language. These apps are less practical, but they can help providers find and define specific terms in a given language.

General language translator apps require the user to enter a term, statement, or question in one language and then provide a translation in another language. Google Translate and Vocre Translate are examples.

Recommended apps

My colleagues, Dr. Amrin Khander and Dr. Sara Farag, and I identified and evaluated medical translator apps that are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores, to aid clinicians in using such apps during clinical encounters with non-English speakers.³

The top recommended translator apps are listed in the table, evaluated with criteria from a shortened version of the APPLICATIONS scoring system: app comprehensiveness, price, platform, literature use, and important special features.⁴ We hope these tools will help you enhance communication with your patients who have limited English proficiency.

As the population of patients with limited English proficiency increases throughout English-speaking countries, health care providers often need translator services. Medical translator smartphone applications (apps) are useful tools that can provide ad hoc translator services.

According to the US Census Bureau in 2015, more than 60 million individuals — about 19% of Americans — reported speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 25 million said that they speak English “less than very well.”^1,2 The top 5 non-English languages spoken at home were Spanish, French, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, encompassing 72% of non-English speakers.

In the health care sector, translator services are essential for providing accurate and culturally competent care. Current options for translator services include face-to-face interpreters, phone-based translator services, and translator apps on mobile devices. In settings where face-to-face interpreters or phone-based translator services are not available, translator apps may provide reasonable alternatives. My colleagues, Dr. Amrin Khander and Dr. Sara Farag, and I identified and evaluated medical translator apps that are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores to aid clinicians in using such apps during clinical encounters.³

Three types of translator apps

Preset medical phrase translator apps require the user to search for or find a question or statement in order to facilitate a conversation. With these types of apps, a health care provider can choose fully conjugated sentences, which then can be played or read back to the patient in the chosen translated language. Within this group of apps, Canopy Speak and Universal Doctor Speaker are highly accessible, since both apps are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores and both are free.

Medical dictionary apps require the user to search for a medical term in one language to receive a translation in another language. These apps are less useful, but they can help providers find and define specific terms in a given language.

General language translator apps require the user to enter a term, statement, or question in one language and then provide a translation in another language. Google Translate and Vocre Translate are examples.

The top recommended translator 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 the apps described here will help you enhance communication with your patients who have limited English proficiency.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

As the population of patients with limited English proficiency increases throughout English-speaking countries, health care providers often need translator services. Medical translator smartphone applications (apps) are useful tools that can provide ad hoc translator services.

According to the US Census Bureau in 2015, more than 60 million individuals — about 19% of Americans — reported speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 25 million said that they speak English “less than very well.”^1,2 The top 5 non-English languages spoken at home were Spanish, French, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, encompassing 72% of non-English speakers.

In the health care sector, translator services are essential for providing accurate and culturally competent care. Current options for translator services include face-to-face interpreters, phone-based translator services, and translator apps on mobile devices. In settings where face-to-face interpreters or phone-based translator services are not available, translator apps may provide reasonable alternatives. My colleagues, Dr. Amrin Khander and Dr. Sara Farag, and I identified and evaluated medical translator apps that are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores to aid clinicians in using such apps during clinical encounters.³

Three types of translator apps

Preset medical phrase translator apps require the user to search for or find a question or statement in order to facilitate a conversation. With these types of apps, a health care provider can choose fully conjugated sentences, which then can be played or read back to the patient in the chosen translated language. Within this group of apps, Canopy Speak and Universal Doctor Speaker are highly accessible, since both apps are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores and both are free.

Medical dictionary apps require the user to search for a medical term in one language to receive a translation in another language. These apps are less useful, but they can help providers find and define specific terms in a given language.

General language translator apps require the user to enter a term, statement, or question in one language and then provide a translation in another language. Google Translate and Vocre Translate are examples.

The top recommended translator 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 the apps described here will help you enhance communication with your patients who have limited English proficiency.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

As the population of patients with limited English proficiency increases throughout English-speaking countries, health care providers often need translator services. Medical translator smartphone applications (apps) are useful tools that can provide ad hoc translator services.

According to the US Census Bureau in 2015, more than 60 million individuals — about 19% of Americans — reported speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 25 million said that they speak English “less than very well.”^1,2 The top 5 non-English languages spoken at home were Spanish, French, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, encompassing 72% of non-English speakers.

In the health care sector, translator services are essential for providing accurate and culturally competent care. Current options for translator services include face-to-face interpreters, phone-based translator services, and translator apps on mobile devices. In settings where face-to-face interpreters or phone-based translator services are not available, translator apps may provide reasonable alternatives. My colleagues, Dr. Amrin Khander and Dr. Sara Farag, and I identified and evaluated medical translator apps that are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores to aid clinicians in using such apps during clinical encounters.³

Three types of translator apps

Preset medical phrase translator apps require the user to search for or find a question or statement in order to facilitate a conversation. With these types of apps, a health care provider can choose fully conjugated sentences, which then can be played or read back to the patient in the chosen translated language. Within this group of apps, Canopy Speak and Universal Doctor Speaker are highly accessible, since both apps are available from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores and both are free.

Medical dictionary apps require the user to search for a medical term in one language to receive a translation in another language. These apps are less useful, but they can help providers find and define specific terms in a given language.

General language translator apps require the user to enter a term, statement, or question in one language and then provide a translation in another language. Google Translate and Vocre Translate are examples.

The top recommended translator 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 the apps described here will help you enhance communication with your patients who have limited English proficiency.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

App overload is a challenge for both providers and patients. As of September 2015, the number of health apps in the US Apple iTunes and Google Play stores exceeded 165,000, with approximately 7% focused on women's health and pregnancy.¹ Clinicians express interest in promoting the use of health apps with their patients and seek guidance about making app recommendations.² In my prior articles in this "App review" series, I have recommended due date calculator and drug reference apps.

One area in which an app may enhance your patient care is in menstrual cycle tracking. Patients may be more honest with their phones than with their health care professionals, and the results are more accurate than paper questionnaires and calendars.³ Of note, menstrual cycle tracking apps are the fourth most popular health app among adults and likely even more popular if limited to adult women.⁴

Dr. Paula Castano and her team systematically identified and evaluated free menstrual cycle tracking apps.⁵ The accuracy of each app was determined by menstrual cycle predictions based on average cycle lengths of at least 3 previous cycles, ovulation predicted at 13 to 15 days prior to the start of the next cycle, and qualification that the application contained no misinformation.⁵

The top 3 recommended menstrual cycle tracking apps from Dr. Castano and colleagues' study 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).⁶ I hope this column will allow you to feel more comfortable recommending these "vetted" apps to your patients.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

App overload is a challenge for both providers and patients. As of September 2015, the number of health apps in the US Apple iTunes and Google Play stores exceeded 165,000, with approximately 7% focused on women's health and pregnancy.¹ Clinicians express interest in promoting the use of health apps with their patients and seek guidance about making app recommendations.² In my prior articles in this "App review" series, I have recommended due date calculator and drug reference apps.

One area in which an app may enhance your patient care is in menstrual cycle tracking. Patients may be more honest with their phones than with their health care professionals, and the results are more accurate than paper questionnaires and calendars.³ Of note, menstrual cycle tracking apps are the fourth most popular health app among adults and likely even more popular if limited to adult women.⁴

Dr. Paula Castano and her team systematically identified and evaluated free menstrual cycle tracking apps.⁵ The accuracy of each app was determined by menstrual cycle predictions based on average cycle lengths of at least 3 previous cycles, ovulation predicted at 13 to 15 days prior to the start of the next cycle, and qualification that the application contained no misinformation.⁵

The top 3 recommended menstrual cycle tracking apps from Dr. Castano and colleagues' study 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).⁶ I hope this column will allow you to feel more comfortable recommending these "vetted" apps to your patients.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

App overload is a challenge for both providers and patients. As of September 2015, the number of health apps in the US Apple iTunes and Google Play stores exceeded 165,000, with approximately 7% focused on women's health and pregnancy.¹ Clinicians express interest in promoting the use of health apps with their patients and seek guidance about making app recommendations.² In my prior articles in this "App review" series, I have recommended due date calculator and drug reference apps.

One area in which an app may enhance your patient care is in menstrual cycle tracking. Patients may be more honest with their phones than with their health care professionals, and the results are more accurate than paper questionnaires and calendars.³ Of note, menstrual cycle tracking apps are the fourth most popular health app among adults and likely even more popular if limited to adult women.⁴

Dr. Paula Castano and her team systematically identified and evaluated free menstrual cycle tracking apps.⁵ The accuracy of each app was determined by menstrual cycle predictions based on average cycle lengths of at least 3 previous cycles, ovulation predicted at 13 to 15 days prior to the start of the next cycle, and qualification that the application contained no misinformation.⁵

The top 3 recommended menstrual cycle tracking apps from Dr. Castano and colleagues' study 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).⁶ I hope this column will allow you to feel more comfortable recommending these "vetted" apps to your patients.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.