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
Yes! It would be absolutly fabulous to have fast medical apps on the iphone. I truly hate my pocket pc for that purpose (slow, crashes and unbelievebly poorly designed!)
Posted by: Karim Tazi, MD | Sunday, July 22, 2007 at 09:33 AM
I use ePocrates every day to check on something drug-related, so not having this application available for the iPhone is, at this point, a reason that I am not making the switch. Other apps that would be good for us medicos would be iSilo (for Dermeister,Splinting Manual,LyteMesiter--well, you get the picture) and Shots.
Posted by: Alan Levine,MD | Monday, July 23, 2007 at 08:39 AM
I just bought the iPhone and am very disappointed that it doesn't support any medical software. What an awesome phone. It kills me to think I may have to return it. As a new doc pda programs like epocrates are essential. Please make it happen.
Posted by: Ryan | Monday, July 23, 2007 at 12:45 PM
I am ready to buy the iphone but will not till I am able to use epocrates pda version on it. Will get Treo in the meantime.
Posted by: Ernesto Agbayani MD | Monday, July 23, 2007 at 02:44 PM
I am considering purchasing an iphone. However, until epocrates and other medical programs are available on the iphone, I will hold off on this purchase. These programs are very valuable to me - I use them many times daily. Please help to make these programs available on iphone. I'll be waiting!!
Posted by: Brandy Fouch, MD | Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 11:44 AM
yes please do this, it would make the difference between a treo or iphone for me!
Posted by: Fraser | Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 12:48 PM
I would clearly prefer the iphone if epocrates and other medical softwared could be installed into the phone's memory, rather than slower web-based options. As it is, I feel like I have to buy a Palm Treo only for this reason.
Posted by: Michael John Orlich M.D. | Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 09:14 PM
The ONLY reason why I have not yet bought the iphone is the fact that I can not use my epocrates. I tested epocrates online at the apple store and it is NOT practical to use in the medical setting. PLEASE get epocrates on iphone so that I may purchase it SOON.
Posted by: Sako | Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 11:03 PM
I would buy an iPhone tomorrow if it could replace my Palm. I need to have access to the elctronic version of the Sanford Guide (available as an app for palm and pocket pc) and Epocrates. I tried epocrates online at an Apple store via wifi and it was too slow to be useful. I use my palm's Epocrates program as well Medcalc (a medical calculator) frequently during my work as an emergency medicine doctor. The limitation of add-on apps only being available via web pages is too limiting. For now, I am going to keep my 4g 40gb ipod, palm and separate cell phone as no single device (including iPhone) can replace the functionality of all three. A treo or other smartphone might do 2 out of three, a higher memory capacity iPhone would do 2 out 3, but a high memory capacity iPhone that can run additional software that resides in the device would be absolute killer.
Posted by: David Zuckerberg,M.D. | Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 07:26 AM
I love the iphone however the use of epocrates would make life alot easier and benificial to my patients. Can you please add epocrates to your 3rd party applications. A lot of people depend on this application. Once again thanks for the great work.
Posted by: Sean | Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 05:13 PM
I have used mac products in every facet of my technological life. So, I was sad that when it came time to purchase an iphone, I was unable to do so and had to buy a Treo instead because of my need to use ePocrates software. I use ePocrates on a daily basis, and it is the ONLY reason I have not purchased an iphone yet!
Posted by: Leila Kramer | Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 08:28 PM
If I could put epocrates on the iphone I'd go buy one today.
Posted by: Dan | Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 04:01 AM
I am a PC to MAC convert and an anesthesiologist. I really would like an iPhone and ePocrates is a must have for me. Please keep me informed of any updates.
Posted by: J. Austin Quina, M.D. | Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 08:49 AM
The healthcare community is huge and good adopters of strong technology. They won't buy devices that aren't truly compatible with their much-loved and often-used references. Allow medical software developers to create for the iPhone!
Posted by: T | Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 01:34 PM
Our school requires us to have PDAs when in the hospital, with recommended programs such as ePocrates, FirstConsult, and UpToDate. With 170 students in my class, that's an awful lot of potential customers who will be buying Treos and such instead of a sexy new iPhone. Please allow medical s/w developers access to the iPhone. Thanks.
Posted by: David Um, OMS III | Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 03:24 PM
I can't wait to have an iPhone that runs the Epocrates suite!
Posted by: Jeffrey Davis | Friday, July 27, 2007 at 05:16 AM
it would be wonderful to have all the gadgests in one handheld... why didn't Apple think of this????..if ePocrates was on iphone i will be the first one in line..
Posted by: smitha Gautam | Friday, July 27, 2007 at 09:30 AM
I do not own an iPhone currently, but hey, it seems like a good idea. I would only consider the iPhone (instead of a Treo) if ePocrates was available on it.
Posted by: Ingrid | Friday, July 27, 2007 at 10:30 PM
I love the iPhone but have to carry my old treo with me to use Epocrates. Please develop a widget that would include this essential information into the iPhone. This will give the iPhone a much wider potential market.
Posted by: Craig Muetterties | Saturday, July 28, 2007 at 04:54 AM
I want to buy the iPhone, and, as a medical student, I would really love to see medical applications run on iPhones.
Regards,
Rahul (www.rahulgladwin.com)
Posted by: Rahul, MSII | Saturday, July 28, 2007 at 09:56 AM
I have a Treo rather than an iPhone only because of Epocrates. Quicken eventually supported Mac after enough people made their needs known. Let's hope this will work. Epocrates needs to be able to work on an iPhone.
Posted by: Mamsi | Saturday, July 28, 2007 at 03:27 PM
I also need an install option for Epocrates and other medical databases. I will not buy an iPhone until that option is available.
Posted by: Dana Higbee | Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 01:04 PM
There are many physicians and even more medical students and residents that would purchase iPhones if there existed a medical software solution compatible with iPhone. The relative cost would be driven down by no longer needing to purchase a separate PDA basically only for medical software. Epocrates is the most popular PDA medical software.
Posted by: Peter Rivera | Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 01:54 PM
There are many physicians and even more medical students and residents that would purchase iPhones if there existed a medical software solution compatible with iPhone. The relative cost would be driven down by no longer needing to purchase a separate PDA basically only for medical software. Epocrates is the most popular PDA medical software.
Posted by: Peter Rivera | Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 01:56 PM
I, also, am very disappointed that iPhone does not have a compatible medical software program, specifically Epocrates. I will wait until this is possible before I purchase an iPhone
Posted by: Charles Wilhite, MD | Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 06:08 PM