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Skyscape: Helping Doctors Make the Best Decisions for Their Patients
The world of healthcare is in the midst of a digital revolution, with new technologies that can put a global store of medical information into the hands of every healthcare professional, anywhere in the world. These new apps and tools can save time, reduce costly medical errors, and help doctors and other healthcare workers focus on delivering quality patient care.
In a recent study, 93 percent of doctors surveyed said that healthcare apps can improve patient care. Skyscape is a free app that makes over 400 gold-standard databases from trusted sources around the world instantly available to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers so they can make informed decisions at every point in a patient’s journey through the healthcare system. Skyscape’s Medical Knowledge Platform is a multidisciplinary knowledge base that brings state-of-the-art clinical decision support technology to any mobile device, with a user-friendly interface that anyone can use.
New Technologies Improve Patient Care
In earlier times, consulting with colleagues and researching difficult diagnoses could be time-consuming and expensive, and delays in accessing needed information could cost patients’ lives. Healthcare professionals in remote areas struggled to get quick access to current research that could save lives.
But now, healthcare entities are responsible for more than 50 percent of data stored in the cloud. These cloud-based databases hold a vast reserve of research, clinical experiences, and insights from an international medical community and make it available at any time, from any device, with tools that are freely available to everyone. Skyscape’s platform includes an array of resources for nurses, doctors, and other practitioners as well as students in training for any healthcare profession, instantly accessible through Skyscape’s downloadable app for iOS devices including iPhone, iPad, and iPad Touch.
How Does Skyscape Work?
The Skyscape Medical Knowledge Platform is a collection of specialized resources for specific healthcare niches and needs, including preparation for medical and nursing board exams, webinars for doctors, and breaking news from leading medical communities and journals.
Skyscape was first released over 20 years ago, making it the first mHealth (mobile health technology) tool of its kind. Since then, the app has been used by more than 2.6 million professionals across the spectrum of healthcare services. Now, the current version of the free Skyscape app is available to anyone through leading app stores and contains a collection of essential tools that include:
- RX, a comprehensive drug guide with detailed information on currently available prescription drugs, including side effects, contraindications, and drug interactions
- Clinical Consult, a clinical resource that includes more than 850 topics on diseases, conditions, treatments, and more, drawn from current research, training materials, and clinical experience
- A Calculator with over 200 interactive tools for determining dosages, managing statistics, and calculating patient scores on key diagnostic metrics for common health conditions
- MedBeats, a constantly updated collection of breaking news, drug alerts, and other information of interest to healthcare professionals in a variety of medical specialties
The Skyscape app contains essential resources for all aspects of healthcare, but the company also provides custom packages of its many informational products for nursing programs, academic institutions, and other training programs.
Skyscape Pricing and Plans
To access Skyscape’s core features and tools, users simply download the free app and install it on any iOS device. But the Skyscape app also includes the option to purchase a number of in-app add-ons for specific needs, such as the Nursing Constellation, a collection of tools for nursing professionals, and the Clinical Constellation for clinicians in multiple healthcare settings.
Other in-app purchases include specialized databases such as the TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours and the Clinical Veterinary Advisor for Dogs and Cats. These add-on features range from a low of $25.99 for Detroit’s Emergency Medical Handbook to $179.99 for the Nursing Constellation.
What People Are Saying About Skyscape
The Skyscape app has a 4.8 out of 5-star rating from users on the Apple App Store. Many users are students installing the app as a requirement for nursing or medical classes. They like the fact that Skyscape provides multiple essential tools in one place, and that more can be added to create a personalized collection of resources. Some users praise the fact that the installed resources can be cross-linked for easy reference and research. Medical professionals in remote areas of the world are also happy that they can have instant access to the latest knowledge and resources wherever they are.
Some users complain that the app itself can be difficult to install and update, and they dislike the process of purchasing the additional in-app resources. Others say that old editions of some guides have not been updated or replaced with the latest versions, and some add-ons don’t load properly after purchase. Overall, though, the majority of users give the app five stars, with special praise for its fast, easy access to key tools and resources.
Alternatives to Skyscape
Skyscape has been available in various forms since 2000, with frequent updates to accommodate innovations in app development and new research in a variety of medical fields. Its Medical Knowledge Platform is trusted by medical professionals around the world, and it can be a vital resource for doctors and nurses in remote locations. But it isn’t the only clinical resource app capable of connecting healthcare professionals with essential tools and resources. Some alternatives include:
Medscape
Medscape for iOS is free to download from the Apple App store, and it brings all the resources of the trusted Medscape medical information platform to mobile devices. Medscape offers the latest medical news, evidence-based research, and commentary targeted to a variety of specialties such as cardiology, dermatology, and oncology. With Medscape Decision Point, users can create a personalized profile to get content that’s most relevant to their needs. Medscape also includes a variety of calculators, drug databases, and clinical trial data, and users can earn free CME credits and track their progress within the app.
MDCalc
MDCalc is a free iOS app that works with the MDCalc website to provide evidence-based clinical information for better decision making at the bedside. MDCalc‘s clinical decision tools support over 35 specialties including critical care, emergency medicine, obstetrics, and oncology. MDCalc also includes a long list of calculators and scoring tools for a variety of health conditions, with options for CME credits within the app. Users can create a customized profile with options for saving lists, bookmarking key resources, and crosslinking between tools within the app.
PEPID
PEPID is a free iOS app designed for direct patient care that provides the latest information needed to treat patients in emergency or hospital settings. Designed with emergency service providers such as paramedics and EMTs in mind, PEPID includes the largest drug database available, with multiple specialized calculators and an array of illustrations and photographs of medications and health conditions.
PEPID features independent clinical content from 12 patient-centered healthcare associations, such as the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. PEPID’s content can be customized for the specific needs of first responders, nurses, pharmacists, and other front-line medical workers.
Cloud-based big data management and advanced mobile technologies are giving medical professionals everywhere the tools they need to advance their clinical expertise and make intelligent decisions for better patient care. Skyscape pioneered today’s clinical resource platforms, and its free app puts essential tools for quality healthcare into the hands of medical professionals everywhere in the world.