Introduction to the Handheld PDA:
Thinking about buying a PDA?

Handheld "Personal Digital Assistants" (PDAs) such as the popular Palm devices are rapidly becoming a tool of choice for the busy clinician, resident, and medical student. With handhelds, medical professionals can access and manage information at the point-of-care where decision support is crucial. Handheld devices can provide patient tracking, clinical diagnosis support, drug reference, medical dictionaries and calculators, calendars, and contact lists - all in a device that you can easily carry in your pocket and access instantly.

A PDA can organize your life! The software that automatically comes with a PDA can allow you to do away with cumbersome calendars, address books, and notes on scattered post-its and scraps of paper, and combine them all onto one convenient gadget. A PDA's organizational component allows you to:

• Maintain your calendar (schedule appointments, meetings, patients, etc.)
• Maintain address book
• Keep "to do" list (set priorities, due dates)
• Manage personal information (passwords, account numbers, finances, etc.)
• Write notes to yourself
• Get reminded!
• Plan a trip (and track travel expenses)
• Manage PowerPoint presentations (view slides, track and record length, etc.)

There are a variety of uses of the PDA in clinical medicine, allowing you to facilitate instant and easy access to authoritative information at the point of need:

• Turn your PDA into a medical reference library (Harrison's, Merck Manual, drug handbooks, etc.)
• Use your PDA as a medical calculator: calculate medical formulas, e.g. pregnancy
• Track patient information, lab reports, medications, images, medical records
• Keep current with news from major newspapers, medical resources, new drug treatment opportunities, etc.

There are many other ways to use your PDA to make your life easier
(and fun too!):

• Consult dictionaries (English, medical, foreign language) and encyclopedias
• Read maps
• Convert currency
• Keep shopping lists
• Dial your phone
• View photos
• Play games!
• Work on crossword puzzles

Still thinking about buying a PDA? Click here for hardware issues and features to consider.

Click here to access "Introduction to the Handheld PDA: Tools and Resources for Health Care Professionals".