5 Useful Mobile Applications in Emergency Medicine

In the fast-paced environment of emergency medicine, especially in the diverse and resource-limited settings across Africa, mobile applications are proving to be invaluable tools for healthcare professionals. These apps not only enhance access to vital medical information but also streamline communication, facilitate decision-making, and hopefully improve patient outcomes. In this guide, we will explore five essential mobile applications that can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the emergency care you provide. From quick reference guides to communication platforms, we'll discuss how each app can be utilized within the emergency center to support healthcare providers in delivering timely and quality care to patients in critical situations.

The following applications have not all been created within the African context, but I have personally found them to be very useful in my clinical practice:

1. Vula Mobile Application

   
   

   

   
   

   • Vula Mobile is the brainchild of William Mapham, an ophthalmologist practicing in South Africa. With over 36,000 registered healthcare workers and more than 1.6 million referrals made via the application, it is well-validated in many resource-limited settings. Vula has made quite an impact across the continent and has won numerous awards.

   • How it works: Vula connects healthcare workers from various hospitals and clinics, providing a secure platform to refer patients and receive advice on treatment plans. It offers customizable solutions depending on the needs of your country or setting.

   • Why you should use it in your emergency practice: Constant telephone calls from different referral facilities to your emergency center can disrupt the service you provide, often resulting in missing relevant information and rushed conversations that provoke anxiety. With the mobile application, the referring clinician fills out a quick form with only the essential information, which arrives as a text in your inbox. You can respond when you finish your emergency procedure, accept a patient referral, or call back to offer urgent advice to the clinician before the referral. If the patient is referred and you leave your shift, a one-button handover of the patient information to the incoming shift team ensures that everyone is informed. There are many other incredible features to explore.

   • Getting started: The app is available on the App Store and Google Play. It cannot be used in isolation and requires other referral hospitals to participate, which can easily be facilitated by a Vula Agent (https://www.vulamedical.com/get-started).

1. EMGuidance

   
   

   

   
   

   • EMGuidance is a mobile app featuring numerous South African institutional guidelines, with over 34,000 doctors, 6,000 specialists, and 16,500 nurses using the application. It serves as a go-to resource for up-to-date information.

   • How it works: The interface is user-friendly, with a search function that helps you find what you need quickly. From medication dosages, workup for conditions, when to refer for specialist care, webinars and CPD activities.

   • Why you should use it in your practice: Emergency care requires us to be versatile; however, obtaining drug dosages or information on mixing drug infusions can be time-consuming. Being able to double-check and compare with different guidelines is crucial, especially when developing your departmental protocol. The guidelines are available for download, which allows you to still access them even when running low on data or you have none at all (its not uncommon).

   • Getting started: The application is widely available on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, visit (https://info.emguidance.com).

1. Uukolele

   
   

   

   
   

   • The Uukolele mobile application empowers patients to keep their medical records organized and easily accessible.

   • How it works: Many patients in our settings tend to rely on the doctors, hospitals, or clinics they visit for their medical records. This can lead to confusion when they consult other doctors or are transferred from tertiary facilities after complex procedures and have strict follow-up instructions. With Uukolele, patients can request to take a photo of their medical records, images or lab results and this allows them to research their condition or share pertinent information with new healthcare providers.

   • Why you should use it in your practice: Encouraging patients to use the app helps you stay updated on their diagnostic or therapeutic journey, allowing you to avoid starting from scratch. The app features a "profile" option that enables patient relatives to securely keep information on their children or loved ones, ensuring it's readily available during hospital visits. Moreover, patients can quickly access contact details of local hospitals and clinics at the click of a button, even without internet data.

   • Getting started: The Uukolele mobile app is available on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, visit the official website (https://uukolele.com) or contact the creators at info@uukolele.com to get it tailored to your country (with regards to the contact details of local hospitals or clinics or prehospital services.

1. WhatsApp

   
   

   

   
   

   • WhatsApp is an application that has transformed communication, and it is essential in today's world.

   • How it works: WhatsApp is a messaging app that allows users to send messages, make voice and video calls, share photos, and send documents.

   • Why you should use it in your practice: Many groups share emergency medicine-related content that helps you stay updated, including the EMEA WhatsApp group (https://chat.whatsapp.com/H0B4lzyrWfF5mJwLDnvACs). You can create WhatsApp groups in your department to share timely information quickly, including educational and training materials.

   • Getting started: WhatsApp is available on the App Store and Google Play (https://www.whatsapp.com/).

1. Paediatric Gas

   
   

   

   
   

   • The Paediatric Gas application features an easy-to-use interface that is especially helpful in pediatric emergencies.

   • How it works: The first screen includes a scrolling bar for entering the patient's age, estimating their weight, and providing pediatric emergency drug dosages as well as resuscitation equipment, including endotracheal tubes.

   • Why you should use it in your practice: The pediatric population has unique needs; the standard practice of "just give one vial/ampule" for adults doesn't apply. Everything is weight-based in children, and having a quick reference guide in emergencies or during resuscitation is invaluable. Please ensure that you double check the accuracy with your local population to ensure it is similar to the patient population you serve.

   • Getting started: The application is available on the App Store and Google Play https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pediatric-gas-for-anesthesia/id492598199).