iGeriatrics

Kenny Lin, MD, MPH

Fam Pract Manag. 2013 Sep-Oct;20(5):34.

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The iGeriatrics app provides clinicians with mobile access to several clinical tools useful in the care of older adults.

Source: American Geriatrics Society (AGS) in collaboration with Atmosphere Apps

Platforms available: iOS and Android

Pertinence to primary care practice: As a family physician, I found the most pertinent tools to be the searchable Beers Criteria, based on the AGS 2012 updated Beers criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults,1 and the Guide to Common Immunizations, which reviews vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults age 65 and older. The other tools offered within the app are synopses of AGS clinical guidelines and publications on psychiatric symptoms, cultural competency, atrial fibrillation, and fall prevention.

Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information: The app content is based on expert consensus and evidence-based guidelines produced by the AGS. Immunization content is consistent with CDC immunization schedules endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians. It is not clear, however, how often content is reviewed for currency or accuracy.

Cost: $2.99

Ease of use: I found the app easy to use. It displays a menu of all the available tools that, when touched, open submenus that are easy to navigate using forward and back buttons. Text is readable and consists mostly of bullet points. The fall prevention tool includes a useful interactive algorithm that guides clinicians in assessing individual fall risk and determining whether interventions are indicated. In contrast, the psychiatric algorithm for evaluating patients with hallucinations or delusions is a single figure that cannot be viewed in its entirety on a smartphone screen.

Sponsor(s): No outside funding was used to develop this app.

Rating:

While this app is not absolutely essential to primary care practice, it is a worthwhile, affordable app with some useful tools.