24 essential physician tools

how about a laryngoscope? things every physician shoudl know how to use.

These are the “24 essential physician tools” from that article:
1.Office Desktop Computer.
2. Affordable and Easy-to-Use EHR System
3. ePocrates Online
4. Micromedex
5. UpToDate
6. MedlinePlus.
7. E-Communication With Patients.
it a desktop, laptop, tablet, or handheld, a computer in the exam or consultation room allows
8. Exam or Consultation Room Computers.
9. NexCura Professional Tool.
10. MD Consult.
11. Cochrane Library
12. Ovid
13. Screen OCR
14. The ICD-9-CM Online Database
15. PubMed.
16. .Mac Account
17. Google Desktop
18. OnCall Scheduling System
19. Wireless Internet Network w. Signal Booster.
20. 5.8GHz Phone(s).
21. PDA
22. Bluetooth Hands-free Car Link
23. Laptop/Notebook/Tablet Computer
24. Broadband PC Card

That article fits the definition of “advertising” because it tries to create a need where there was none. It is actually an infomercial disguised as an informative magazine article. Those are not essentials, they are just embellishments. They can also be called toys.

ok. thats pretty interesting. i was expecting that it woudl be REAL medical ‘tools’. not internet and computer systems.
sounds great for the info saavy physician. but what about the every day CLINICIAN. how about this list:….

1. stethoscope.
2. laryngoscope.
3. otoscope
4. opthalmoscope.
5. airway devices.
6. pulse oximeter
7. blood pressure cuffs and automated machines.
8. iv lines.
9. tournequette.
10. central line?
11. ultrasound machine?
12. telephone (of course)

need i go on?
ok i like epocrates. and im always on the computer. at least they did not include a black berry . hahahaa.

Although I wrote the article in discussion here, every single one of the 24 tools was identified by members of our editorial board, consisting of top physicians at top institutions in the US. I didn’t come up with any of them. I simply explained what these tools are. Further, as John Maillard noted, none of these are advertisers with us; trust me, we wish they were. These tools are meant to help provide the best care to your patients possible, not to be used as toys. Quicker, easier access to medical records, better communication with patients, and the ability to access evidence-based medicine at the point of care: These are not tools. They are essential in joinig the future of healthcare and providing optimal, cost-effective care.

To publish a list consisting of itmes like a stethoscope, laryngoscope, pulse oximeter, blood pressure cuffs, and iv lines would be pretty useless, wouldn’t it? I’d hope a physician would already be educated about these.

Sure, physicians offered care to patietns for much longer without computers or PDAs or other electronics than they have since. But practices are becoming more crowded, patients are demanding better access to their physicians and are better educated than ever due to online access to medical information, and doctors have less time than ever; that’s where these essential tools come into play. If you can’t see that, then that’s your loss…and actually your patients’ as well.