Pepid; a PDA tool well known among ER doctors which contains loads of ER information in the form of topics, figures, calculators, drug information, laboratory information, drug interactions and many others.
This wonderful app has been made available as a wireless website which can be accessed by any PDA or phone that has browsing capability.
Just point your iPhone’s Safari or your Pocket PC’s IE Mobile to http://mobile.pepid.com and you will be there.
Their suites whether the ED or the PCP both have Pediatrics Module with specific pediatric information and dosages and calculators.
The slide show below demonstrates some screenshots of Pepid Mobile as accessed by iPod Touch.
Of course this will be the same for the iPhone via Wifi or 3G.
The wireless version does not miss anything from the native application that we used to play on our Palm and Windows Mobile devices. But this time we can also have it on the iPhone or iTouch.
The Bad News:
First: Unlike Unbound Medicine they don’t offer wireless subscription when you subscribe for the native application, and so we have to purchase both the wireless and the built-in application for more than $300 per year!
Second: Although the website is user friendly but they did not create an iPhone-friendly website and so they did not redesign it to be compatible with the easy finger touch user interface and consequently buttons and links are still quite difficult to tap even on a wide iPod or iPhone screen.
The Good News:
Pepid promised to create a native application for the iPhone so let’s wait and see.. [ to understand the differences between native and online applications read this guide].
[Update 3-17-2009] PEPID native app is now available, check this Pda4peds review.
Here’s a list of pediatric mobile [wireless] websites as reviewed by pda4peds. You may also vote for your favorite one in the best pediatric mobile website poll.
Tags: Pepid
Pepid for the iPhone is TERRIBLE. The main problem, especially for pediatrics, is that all the dosing calculators, medical calculators, and drug interactions database require an internet connection to work. While this is great if you’ve got WiFi or 3G zipping around your hospital, you’ll find that Pepid may become completely useless in a CT scanner, trauma bay, or any other semi-shielded area.
Of course, this is right when you might need it the most.
If you’re unfortunate enough to have spotty reception, the program is lead balloon. None of the weight-based dosing calculators work. The program that worked so well on the Palm falls flat on its face for the iPhone. How’s that for irony?
I get the impression this thing was tested in the 4 corners of some dingy IT suite, and not by actual doctors in an actual hospital where we, you know, go to different rooms with sick patients sometimes.
Pepid used to soar like an eagle, now it’s pecking crap with the pigeons. Totally not worth the money.
Pepid for the iPhone is TERRIBLE. The main problem, especially for pediatrics, is that all the dosing calculators, medical calculators, and drug interactions database require an internet connection to work. While this is great if you’ve got WiFi or 3G zipping around your hospital, you’ll find that Pepid may become completely useless in a CT scanner, trauma bay, or any other semi-shielded area.
Of course, this is right when you might need it the most.
If you’re unfortunate enough to have spotty reception, the program is lead balloon. None of the weight-based dosing calculators work. The program that worked so well on the Palm falls flat on its face for the iPhone. How’s that for irony?
I get the impression this thing was tested in the 4 corners of some dingy IT suite, and not by actual doctors in an actual hospital where we, you know, go to different rooms with sick patients sometimes.
Pepid used to soar like an eagle, now it’s pecking crap with the pigeons. Totally not worth the money.
Hi T. Jorgen,
You are absolutely right if you posted the comment before late Feb 2009.
Now the connectivity issue is gone because PEPID is now available native on the iPhone. There is a preliminary review of it on Pda4peds check it out here.
You can download it from app store, Check this iTunes Link and also check their website.
With the new native app, you need Internet connection only on two occasions:
First: When you first install and download the app [Wifi is recommended because it's a lengthy 25+ MB download for the ED suite for example].
Second: when you update the database every six months or so.
If you are a current Palm or Windows Mobile subscriber they will let you switch to the iPhone version for free and all you need is to enter your username and password when you first download the database.
As for the weight-based calculators, I tried them and they seem to be working fine on the iPhone. However, there are still some bugs which is expected for 1.0 version of an iPhone app they may soon come to many fixes.
Hi T. Jorgen,
You are absolutely right if you posted the comment before late Feb 2009.
Now the connectivity issue is gone because PEPID is now available native on the iPhone. There is a preliminary review of it on Pda4peds check it out here.
You can download it from app store, Check this iTunes Link and also check their website.
With the new native app, you need Internet connection only on two occasions:
First: When you first install and download the app [Wifi is recommended because it's a lengthy 25+ MB download for the ED suite for example].
Second: when you update the database every six months or so.
If you are a current Palm or Windows Mobile subscriber they will let you switch to the iPhone version for free and all you need is to enter your username and password when you first download the database.
As for the weight-based calculators, I tried them and they seem to be working fine on the iPhone. However, there are still some bugs which is expected for 1.0 version of an iPhone app they may soon come to many fixes.
I think you’re wrong about that. Even the “native” version requires an active connection for the calculators to work. That’s exactly why the new version is such a drag. Try using one of the calculators when you’re in an elevator or somewhere without a signal and you’ll see what I mean.
Pepid says it on their own website. If you go to http://www.pepid.com/support/techsupport/answers.asp?ID=137, you will see that they specifically state the following:
“However, you will need an internet connection for:
* Drug Interactions
* Medical Calculators
* Dosage Calculators”
I think you’re wrong about that. Even the “native” version requires an active connection for the calculators to work. That’s exactly why the new version is such a drag. Try using one of the calculators when you’re in an elevator or somewhere without a signal and you’ll see what I mean.
Pepid says it on their own website. If you go to http://www.pepid.com/support/techsupport/answers.asp?ID=137, you will see that they specifically state the following:
“However, you will need an internet connection for:
* Drug Interactions
* Medical Calculators
* Dosage Calculators”
Hi T.Jorgen,
You are absolutely right!!
I switched off the Wifi on my iPod Touch and all those functions are gone!
Thanks for the info, I’ll make sure to mention that on future posts.
This is really strange, why do they keep all these functions on their server?
Skyscape and Epocrates have no problem with that.
I agree with you, this is a great disadvantage of the PEPID. Specially for us working indoors with no 3G and always broken Wifi network.
Hi T.Jorgen,
You are absolutely right!!
I switched off the Wifi on my iPod Touch and all those functions are gone!
Thanks for the info, I’ll make sure to mention that on future posts.
This is really strange, why do they keep all these functions on their server?
Skyscape and Epocrates have no problem with that.
I agree with you, this is a great disadvantage of the PEPID. Specially for us working indoors with no 3G and always broken Wifi network.
Make sure you update your review and give Pepid a call on this one. It used to be a wonderful tool and could be again if they make the program entirely self-contained. Here’s hoping….
Make sure you update your review and give Pepid a call on this one. It used to be a wonderful tool and could be again if they make the program entirely self-contained. Here’s hoping….
You getting crap from Pepid because the of the bad management.
You getting crap from Pepid because the of the bad management.
I used PEPID for several years until I found several errors with Drugs and calcs. Their quality has gone down hill, and I understand they’ve had some issues with lawsuits, leading to high turnover. I now use Epocrates and love it.