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Most pharmacists will be familiar with at least one or two pieces of software which are the core of their daily activities, their dispensing program and often a point-of-sale system.
How many have made the switch to the many CD-ROM versions of the drug information texts they keep in the dispensary?
The Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary (APF), Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH), MIMS and AusDI are just some of the texts which are now available in electronic format, which can make the task of information searching easier.
Another excellent reference available on CD (three of them now!) or online is the Micromedex Healthcare series, which has won a lot of support in pharmacies and drug information centres, with its vast array of knowledge.
With the emergence of handheld units as a viable concern, there are now Micromedex, Epocrates Rx (sort of like a cut-down Micromedex) and MIMS available for the Palm Pilot.
A Palm Pilot is a handheld organiser which can run simple word processors, diaries and now drug interaction searches thanks to the Epocrates software package.
Most software for the Palm Pilot is free, although you will need to own the PC versions of some products in order to be able to access the Palm versions.
A Palm Pilot will set you back no more than $500 and could be a valuable tool if performing medication reviews away from the pharmacy, and your regular drug information sources.
Epocrates Rx is capable of running drug interactions checks (although the amount of information produced is limited, and Americanised), and this teamed with E-MIMS on the Palm would create a very powerful tool for a pharmacist needing information in a hurry.
The CD ROM versions of many reference books are now available.
E-MIMS (the CD-ROM version of MIMS) contains all the full product information and abbreviated product information monographs of MIMS Annual and Bi-monthly as well as table identification (sorted by colour and imprint), and the MIMS Disease Index, providing a brief summary of many disease states and their treatment.
The design is fairly intuitive and it can be run without needing the CD in the drive, which can be very useful if you are relying on your CD-ROM drive for other software.
The AMH is available on CD-ROM and online, and is rapidly becoming a popular text for quick impartial information.
The CD-ROM mimics the online version but it is a little bit disappointing in its implementation compared to the hard copy version. The interface was not as intuitive as it could have been, with too many links having to be followed to find what you wanted. Both are in the process of being redesigned for the new version so their release is eargerly anticipated.
The AMH contains quick couselling tips for most medications, and impartial comaprisons of medications within, and across drug classes.
Micromedex Healthcare Series contains a vast array of material garnered from product informations, peer review journals, case reports and other information sources. It contains separate modules, such as Drugdex (basic drug information), Martindale Product Index, Drug-Reax (drug interaction checking), Toxicology (Poisindex), information on complementary therapies, information for patients and more.
It is designed to be purchased in increments so you can limit your subscription to the pieces you need, which is useful, as Micromedex does not come cheaply. However, it is updated quarterly and the depth of information provided is greater than any electronic resource I've seen.
The AusDI is a resource I've not seen a lot of personally, but it appears to contain more in depth impartial information than the AMH, with the resultant loss of easy access.
This appears to be a good resource for those needing to search in more detail. The comparable text that some might have seen is the AHFS Drug Info text published every year by the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) in the US.
AusDI has the obvious advantage of an Australian focus.
These are just some of the packages available for use on your pharmacy's computers, and an ever expanding range is becoming available.
It is hard to recommend any one product over another as all serve difference purposes and needs.
It wouldn't take much investigation to find which packages will be of use, both in your pharmacy, and in conducting medication reviews.

Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. See you again in 2002. Jon Aldous

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