Now, to be able to support most of those reference book applications, Palm devices require some basic system support tools to be in place first. Usually, a good document reader and database reader application will do the trick. There are a lot of them on the market. I find the right tools for customers based on file size and their interface preferences.

I'll share some of the reference applications I normally suggest.

Orthopedic Surgery Notes
Orthopedic Surgery Notes is a complete guide for orthopedic surgery procedures, principles, and protocols. Notes are compiled from different sources and include graphics. It's produced by PDA Ortho and is available through a number of application distribution sites, including Handango at http://www.handango.com/palm-software-product.shtml?sectionId=0&productId=9151&catalog=1&homePath=HANDANGO. Orthopedic Surgery Notes is priced at $10. It's pictured in Figure A.

FIGURE A

Orthopedic Surgery Notes includes useful graphics like this.

5 Minute Clinical Consultant
5 Minute Clinical Consultant contains comprehensive information covering a thousand clinical topics from basics to follow-up. The content is indexed with more than 7,500 terms and medications to help you locate the desired information quickly. The application was developed by Skyscape at http://www.skyscape.com/products/fmcc.htm. It's priced at $64.95

LexiDrugs 2000
LexiDrugs 2000 is a quick reference to the latest drug information covering more than 5,200 drugs. You can find the information on virtually any drug in the US, Canada, or Mexico using generic name, brand name, or therapeutic class. It's also developed by Skyscape and can be found at http://www.skyscape.com/products/lexi.htm. LexiDrugs 2000 is priced at $64.95.

2000 Physician's Desk Reference
Franklin's 2000 Physician's Desk Reference allows the medical professional to search for medications by brand or generic name, or to compare drugs within classes. It's available at http://www.franklin.com/estore/details.asp?ID=PDR-5001. Franklin's 2000 Physician's Desk Reference is priced at $129.95.

Billing
Another category of applications to help doctors is billing. Patients don't realize this, but a lot of doctors end up providing products and services for free because they forget to document what they did and used during a procedure or patient visit. To help doctors regain control of their billing, there are a number of applications that not only help doctors calculate fees, but help them document their products and services via checklists and reminders. If a doctor has her handheld with her after a visit or procedure, she can quickly document what she did while it's still fresh in her mind.

Here are a couple examples.

PocketBilling v.1.01
PocketBilling allows coding of E&M charges, procedures, and patient tracking, and is fully customizable. It's developed by PocketMed at http://www.pocketmed.org. PocketBilling v.1.01 is priced at $29.99.