Point-of-Care Patient Education AppsMaking Patient Visits More Effective

Many doctors today find themselves with more complex information to convey in shorter visits. Adding to the problem, patients are famously bad at retaining verbal information.

Luckily, there’s an app for that–several, in fact. Mobile apps provide a simple, low-cost opportunity for you to educate patients more efficiently and effectively at the point of care.

"Mac App Store" image created by Rob Boudon used under CC BY / Resized

Apps Can Make Education – and Visits – More Effective

Boston Scientific’s Pop-Q: Pelvic Organ Prolapse

“Being able to show patients an illustration that’s individualized to their specific need–you can just see it in a patient’s face when the lightbulb goes off and they understand, ‘Oh, okay, I get it.’” —Dr. Jeff Livingston

DNA Learning Center’s 3D Brain: Neurological Conditions & Effects

“If you can visualize what’s going on, you can keep going on that path without cognitive overload. It helps people understand something that is not intuitive, that you can’t see.” —Dr. Amy Nisselle

The 3D Brain was produced by the DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for the Genes to Cognition Online website, www.g2conline.org, © 2013.

Orca Health’s Heart Decide: Heart Conditions & Procedures

“...You can touch and interact with the heart, and understand from a visual perspective exactly what’s going on with a particular condition. And then that content can be prescribed to the patient via email.” —Matt Berry

Epocrates’ modalityBODY: Anatomical Atlas

Educational materials include images and descriptions; doctors can also upload their own clinical images and annotate them within the app. Drop “pins” onto images to mark specific locations or structures of interest.

“If it makes my life easier and the care I provide better, then I’ll do it.”

—Dr. Jeff Livingston

Apps are “fantastic tools for education.”

—Dr. Travis Good

“Patients want to understand what you’re talking about. You’re always looking for quick, easy ways to educate people in a way they’ll understand.”

—Dr. Jeff Livingston

“Providers use those tools to educate at the point of care, then actually email patients links to that same educational content so that they can view it on their own or potentially share it with caregivers or family. This is very, very powerful."

—Dr. Travis Good

"Mac App Store" image created by Rob Boudon used under CC BY / Resized

Apps in Action at the Point of Care

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