14 DAY TRIAL // Epocrates Inc. has announced that its clinical-reference application for iPhone and iPod touch is being ported to the iPad. Apple itself had featured the Epocrates app at its media events, before it became the most popular medical program in the App Store. Around one in five physicians are actively using Epocrates on their iPhone or iPod touch, according to the app’s makers, who now believe they can extend the app’s success on the upcoming Apple tablet.
Noting that the iPad is already receiving a warm reception from the healthcare industry (well, at least one segment of the working population sees it put to good use), Epocrates Inc. reveals that many physicians plan to buy the iPad when it becomes immediately available.
The company recently announced that its engineers were actively working with the new SDK 3.2 to optimize Epocrates’ offerings for the iPad. In the meanwhile, Epocrates Inc. decided to do a little research and see just how many physicians were likely to get the device, and the app. After surveying more than 350 clinicians, it found that nine percent of the respondents planned to buy the iPad when it became available. Another 13 percent planned to buy it within a year, while 38 percent of respondents “expressed interest in the iPad with the request of more information to solidify their purchase decision,” the company says.
“By optimizing our software for the iPad, we are capitalizing on the larger screen real estate and interactivity provided by this sophisticated device. We are committed to providing the most productive experience at the point of care, keeping physicians informed and focused on the patient rather than searching for answers,” Rose Crane, chief executive officer of Epocrates, adds. “We are continuing to explore the advanced capabilities of the iPad and ways it can help Epocrates address the evolving healthcare technology needs.”