[BLOG POST] Which are the most useful neurological applications?

It is no exaggeration to say our lives revolve around apps. These handy devices bring knowledge to our fingertips at the tap of the finger, or the click of a mouse . They promise easy access to a world of information, often digested to size. Some offer tools to simplify our practice. Neurology is, or should be, no exception.

Apple Store according to the New York Times. Wolf Gang on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfgangkuhnle/4163909778

So what are the tools out there making neurological practice easier and handier? What are these practical shortcuts making clinical work more efficient? I browsed the web and found some useful neurology applications, and have grouped them as follows:

CLINICAL MANAGEMENT APPS

• StrokePad™ is an electronic patient record for stroke care
• FAST Test to evaluate stroke risk using the FAST mnemonic
• Uptodate

APPS THAT AID THE CLINICAL EXAMINATION

• Neuro Toolkit. This is only available for the iphone or ipad. A review on Neurology Times says it is ‘an up-to-date, simple and straightforward app’ that contains medical calculators and clinical scoring scales. It also received a favourable review in Neurology journal.
• 5-minute Neurology Consult. The blurb on google play says Neurology Consult ‘provides instant access to comprehensive, clinically-oriented, must-have information on all disorders of the nervous system’.
• Neurology a-pocket cards.
• Neurology Exam Tools promises a flashlight and tuning fork which should lighten the neurologists tool case but it is not clear how efficiently.
• Neuro Localizer sounds self-explanatory and is developed by neurologists.
• Neurology pocket app with explanatory video below:

APPS ORIENTED TOWARDS CLINICAL SCORING

• MMSE
• ABCD2
• Glasgow Coma Scale
• Neuro Scores app promises many of the above in one place
• Neurology Mnemonics promises to be handy for students facing exams

PATIENT SELF-MANAGEMENT APPS

• Epilepsy Self Monitor (EpSMon). This comes highly recommended (with good authority behind it) and has the backing of SUDEP Action.
• Epilepsy Tool Kit from the Epilepsy Society. This also has an and android version and is free
• MS diagnosis and management. This app was developed in association with the Multiple Sclerosis Society
• My Cluster Headache
• Stroke Riskometer
• EpiWatch for epilepsy patients to keep track of their seizures

Rubik apps. Cesar Poyatos on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/cpoyatos/5791320785

DISEASE-SPECIFIC APPS 

• Easy EDSS for disability scoring in MS
• Traumatic Brain Injury

ANATOMY APPS

• the FINR Brain Atlas
• 3D Brain
• Brain Tutor HD

JOURNAL APPS

• Neurology
• Epilepsia
• Annals of Neurology
• Neurology Clinical Practice
• Neurology and Clinical Neuroscience
• Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
• Neurosurgery

ALLIED NEUROLOGICAL SPECIALTIES APPS 

• Radiopaedia for imaging
• NeuroMind for neurosurgery

Neurochecklists, our own comprehensive neurology information source, is still web-based, but an app will follow soon so watch out!

Want to explore further? You may check these links out:

• Neurology, neuroscience and neurosurgery apps
• Extensive lists of Neurology-related apps
• Android neurology apps
• Top 8 neurology apps
• 13 Apple watch medical apps
• Top 9 best medical apps

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