May 28, 2008 – Clinicians attending this week’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 44th annual meeting in Chicago will learn about developments in cancer treatment, advances in technology and evidence-based practices in prevention and care.
In addition, all 30,000 attendees will have free access to a newly customized mobile suite from Epocrates Inc., that will reportedly help them continue to learn beyond the conference and stay current on the information needed to provide the best care for their patients.
The Epocrates Essentials for Oncology application combines relevant drug, disease and diagnostic information with many of the most commonly referenced medical tools. The mobile solution offers clinicians immediate access to content such as chemotherapy stages, cancer risk algorithms and treatment guidelines.
"Many of my patients are taking multiple therapies so it's imperative to check routinely for drug interactions and calculate accurate dosages,” said David Graham, M.D., medical director at Carle Clinic Association in Urbana, IL. "Epocrates also helps stimulate meaningful conversations with my patients about their cancer treatment and recovery, which makes them feel involved and more in control during this difficult time."
Since many oncologists divide time between the exam room and hospital, a mobile device with clinical software provides consistent accessibility to information clinicians need to support patient care. Nearly 60 percent of oncologists report avoiding one or more medical errors per week using Epocrates’ clinical software, said the company. Furthermore, more than half of oncologists report saving up to 20 minutes or more a day, allowing for more time with patients.
The Epocrates Essentials for Oncology mobile application features:
- Epocrates Essentials – The premium guide includes information on more than 3,300 drugs, including dosage for oncology-specific drugs and interactions with herbal remedies often used by cancer patients.
-Gail Breast Cancer Risk Calculator – This tool calculates a patient’s five-year risk of developing breast cancer based on inputs such as age and family history. This updated version of the breast cancer risk assessment tool, based on the industry-standard Gail algorithm, provides a more accurate prediction by leveraging the latest research from the National Cancer Institute.
- Oncology Calc – Combining some of the most commonly used calculators for oncology professionals, this suite includes calculators for an absolute neutrophil count, GFR for adults and children and opiate conversion. It also contains a Body Surface Area (BSA) and dosage calculator to determine proper medication dosages of cancer drugs and chemotherapy for individual patients, and a carboplatin AUC calculator that defines approximate cutoff levels of the chemotherapy medication.
- RCC Prognosis Calculator – Based on an advanced algorithm, this tool estimates the likely prognosis and survival rate for patients with various stages of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
All ASCO meeting attendees can receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Epocrates Essentials for Oncology by visiting Epocrates’ booth at ASCO 2008 from May 30 – June 3.
For more information: www.epocrates.com/company