Add Your Name To This Petition For ePocrates On iPhone (*note: scroll to the bottom of the page to leave your name!)

BREAKING NEWS!!!  Epocrates officially on the iPhone!!!  Full story HERE.


UPDATE: 10/19/07

We've done it! (At least I hope we had a hand in it...)

I just received an advanced press release from Erica at ePocrates regarding ePocrates on the iPhone.  I think this is one exciting piece of news that many in the medical community have been waiting to hear.  The following is soon to be posted in their FAQ page, but here it is in advance for your reading pleasure (Thanks, Erica & ePocrates!) :

Epocrates message:

Thank you for your interest in using Epocrates mobile products on the
iPhone.  Currently it is not possible to download our PDA applications
onto your iPhone.  However, Apple recently announced that it will make
software available early next year so developers can begin to create
applications that can be downloaded onto to the iPhone and run without a
network connection.  We are excited about the opportunity to offer our
mobile products on the iPhone platform next year and look forward to
receiving the Software Developer's Kit when it is available.

In the meantime, if you are interested in accessing our drug content on
your iPhone, you can access our Online product via the iPhone browser.
Simply go to Online.Epocrates.com to login (current users) or register
(new users).

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UPDATE: 10/18/07

The iPhone SDK news is GREAT!  If you haven't heard - Steve Jobs announced that a software development kit for third party developers will be available in February of 2008.  Let's hope that medical software developers step up and write some great programs for the iPhone!

I've emailed ePocrates to ask them to update us on any developments they may have.  Hopefully we'll hear that "iPocrates" will be in production soon!
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UPDATE: 9/24/07

I spoke to Erica at Epocrates today who confirmed with their product management team that a native version of ePocrates is not yet in the works.  Perhaps by some miracle Apple will open the iPhone to more developers.  In the mean time, I printed out this petition (all 35 pages of it!) and will be dropping it off at Apple, Inc. headquarters tomorrow.

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UPDATE: 9/7/07

I recently heard back from ePocrates.  Here is an email I received from Erica Morgenstern at ePocrates who says "we are very fond of your iPhone petition and check it regularly."  Good job guys!  Let's keep it going!  It's nice to hear that they have taken our comments into consideration.

Hi Steven,
Thanks for your note. I apologize for the delayed response, I have been out of the office. Yes, we are very fond of your iPhone petition and check it regularly. Right now, you can access the web-based drug information through the iPhone browser, but I'm guessing you are holding out for the mobile version to be ported over, correct? Advocates will definitely be the first to know, thanks for your loyalty.

Best
Erica

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UPDATE: 8/13/07

I am now compiling all the comments and highlighting some very good points you all have made.  The comments will be printed out and bound, and will then be sent/dropped off to Apple headquarters.  I will also send a copy to ePocrates.  Keep them coming!

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PETITION UPDATE: Here's an email I recently received from ePocrates:

Hello Steven,
Thank you for sharing your petition with Epocrates. It looks like you've got several passionate postings. I've shared it with our CEO and several key executives within the company. Thank you for your continued support.

Best wishes,
Erica

Let's hope that things are starting to happen. Keep up the good work!

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Dear Medical Professionals,

With the recent release of the Apple iPhone there has been few medical programs available specifically for medical professionals.  After trying the web-based ePocrates Online and Unbound Medicine's UCentral, I've found them both to be slow when compared to Palm OS or Windows CE programs that offer instant access to the information you want.  Palm and Windows programs are downloadable to run directly on your PDAs, whereas on the iPhone Apple has forced developers to create web-based programs that are cumbersome to use - even with a WiFi connection.  I've included the links to the above programs below for you to try on your iPhones.

For this reason I am starting this petition which will eventually be sent to ePocrates and Apple Inc. in an attempt to convince Apple to cooperate with more companies to allow for more productivity programs to run directly on the iPhone.  I think we all know that the iPhone has amazing potential in the medical arena, as evidenced by the recent announcement from Heart IT that medical images can now be viewed on the device via their WebPAX system.

If you are in the medical profession and own an iPhone, or are considering purchasing an iPhone, I urge you to leave your name and contact information in the comments section below.  If you know of any medical professionals who would be interested in this endeavor, I urge you to forward this site to them.

Thank you.

LINKS:
www.epocratesonline.com
www.unboundmedicine.com
www.heartit.com

I just received an advanced press release from Erica at ePocrates regarding ePocrates on the iPhone.  I think this is one exciting piece of news that many in the medical community have been waiting to hear.  The following is soon to be posted in their FAQ page, but here it is in advance for your reading pleasure (Thanks, Erica & ePocrates!) :

Epocrates message:

Thank you for your interest in using Epocrates mobile products on the
iPhone.  Currently it is not possible to download our PDA applications
onto your iPhone.  However, Apple recently announced that it will make
software available early next year so developers can begin to create
applications that can be downloaded onto to the iPhone and run without a
network connection.  We are excited about the opportunity to offer our
mobile products on the iPhone platform next year and look forward to
receiving the Software Developer's Kit when it is available.

In the meantime, if you are interested in accessing our drug content on
your iPhone, you can access our Online product via the iPhone browser.
Simply go to Online.Epocrates.com to login (current users) or register
(new users).

Comments

[Steven Chang]

Let's get ePocrates on the iPhone!

[Andrew Schechtman, M.D.]

Getting ePocrates (and other 3rd party, non-browser-based medical applications) for the iPhone is essential for adoption by the medical community at large.

[Rowan Paul, MD]

THE reason for me not getting the iPHONE is that it doesn't support 3rd party medical software whereas most PDA's from Palm and Pocket PC/Windows Mobile do. Please consider the huge potential market in the medical field for a good phone/PDA with great GUI, WIFI, expandable memory and the ability to use third party software that runs directly off the phone! -sincerely Rowan Paul

[Janet Sollod]

I got the iphone, love it, but still carry my treo @ work for epocrates...

[Eric Snyder]

If the iphone could use epocrates or tarascon pharmacopia and wills eye manual I would change. I think I may get the new treo with wifi on either palm or windows. Though, everything else I use at home is mac.

[Laura Hamilton]

The ONLY REASON I'm not getting an iPhone is because it can't run these programs!! Trust me, I really wish it did run the programs but I need programs more than the iPhone at this point...too bad I couldn't have both.

[Laura Hamilton]

The ONLY REASON I'm not getting an iPhone is because it can't run these programs!! Trust me, I really wish it did run the programs but I need programs more than the iPhone at this point...too bad I couldn't have both.

[Chip Williams]

I bought an iPhone and have tried the online version of Epocrates and it's not functional. Please, Epocrates, write a Web 2.0 app for the iPhone!

[Chris McCarthy]

I have and love the iphone, but getting medical software that is quick and available, preferably something stored locally on the phone rather than as a web applicaiton, is going to be crucual for the success of the iphone in the medical arena.

Hopefully Apple will realize the potential of the medical market, much as Palm did, and react appropriately.

[Steve Hennigan]

I won't get an iphone 'til I can get epocrates for it. It's that simple.

[HSB Baraf, MD]

The lack of epocrates is the single biggest defect in my switch from a Palm Treo to the iphone. I strongly implore ePocrates and Apple to get their act together and make this program available on the iPhone.

[Deanne Daggett]

I would definitely buy the iphone if I could use epocartes or Tarascon's Pharmacopia. Untill that happens, I will wait

[Jay Erlebacher MD]

I'd get an iPhone today if it had ePocrates.

[jennifer friedman]

An iphone was purchased for me as a gift. Though I have been looking forward to the release of iphone, I will unfortunately have to return it as I have learned that epocrates is not yet available. When epocrates becomes available for iphone I will reconsider purchasing the iphone.

[Nabeel Farooqui]

i fully support this effort, but you will need to direct your efforts towards epocrates because apple is only the hardware supplier and epocrates is the developer... apple has given the guidelines for developing web based apps for the iphone and epocrates can VERY EASILY do this...

[Desiderio Pina, MD]

I had placed an order for an iphone but then cancelled it when I tried to use the web version of epocrates and it did not work. The ONLY reasonI do not get an iphone right now is because I NEED epocrates for work. I even stood in line and was willing to buy it AND still carry my treo for eocrates but they ran out of then before I got up to purchase it.
Epocrates/Apple...PLEASE make it happen. As an avid Apple and Epocrates fan (shareholder in the first) I require these two to work together.

[Richard Goldweit MD]

I am very proud to be an owner of an iPhone!

In its first release, Apple has created a near perfect communications device that is years ahead of any phone (it's many things more than a phone!) product out there and is pure joy to use!

However, web-based software like Epocrates Online is too inefficient for the busy physician to use even when using Wi-Fi 802.11n technology.

I concur with the above comments but want to take it a step or two further: Apple must help provide efficient integrated solutions for the healthcare community that will let the amazing iPhone user interface transform modern medical care.

[Herbert Baraf]

iPhone is great, but I miss my ePocrates. Its not ideal to have to carry two devices. We need iPocrates on the iPhone!

[pshri]

Need epocrates on iphone..

[Gevork Mosesi MD]

I really need epocrates on iPhone. Its a hassle to carry 2 PDA's to work.

[GI MD]

The only reason I think I may return teh iPhone is that it does not support the pharmacopia option for physcians. All physcians need the drug manual. My palm can carry more than 50 books including drug manuals and I can always invest in the smallest of phones. I would keep the iPhone if Only the drug manuals could work, iPhone is too cool and I would give up all teh other books of palm. I am sure its a matter if time before this becames available.

[Jeremy Cannon]

I have an iPhone and would love to referece epocrates as many of my treo-owning colleagues already do. Apple--PLEASE PLEASE make an arrangement with epocrates to run their essential medical software.