drawMD apps makes it easy for physicians to bridge the barrier between medical/surgical jargon and patient understanding, which can only enhance patient satisfaction. The library of drawMD apps, created by surgical oncologists Todd Morgan and Alexander Kutikov along with technology expert John Cox, covers several medical specialties. They include cardiology, oncology, orthopedics and obstetrics/gynecology among others.
Technology: Easily Illustrate & Explain Procedures
In the physician’s hand, drawMD offers a simple and engaging tool for drawing a reasonable likeness of a surgical procedure against accurate anatomical illustrations of the human body. Using a drag and drop interface, the physician can move relevant anatomical and surgical items (e.g., cysts, tumors, stones, catheters and instruments) into the appropriate anatomical space to illustrate what happens during a procedure.
Using drawMD, the physician selects one—or can upload their own—background anatomical image for a variety of surgical procedures. Next, the physician can customize the image by sketching or typing directly on it, incorporating color and using an assortment of “stamps” and annotations. Stamps include structures (e.g., stents, catheters, or organs) that can be placed, removed from, and rearranged on the illustration.
The images and stamps are tailored to each specialty and allow the physician to explain treatments and procedures in a personalized, patient-centered manner. Just be careful about the order in which stamps, such as organs, are placed. For example, an organ can get “lost” in the wrong anatomical space.
Better Doctor-Patient Engagement After the Office Visit
In addition to the in-office benefits of using drawMD to communicate complex surgical information to a patient, the apps allows physicians to create notes that can be emailed to the patient for review at home and with family. The notes and images can also be retained as a record of the consultation with that patient. Additionally, notes and images can be used to create a template for future consultations.
Advantages
• Built-in background images of anatomy
• Ability to import your own background or draw on a blank slate
• Large and growing stamp library
• Draw freehand in multiple colors for clarity
• Easy undo last action or erase sketch
• Email and/or save any sketch
• Bridges the language barrier between medical jargon and difficult to describe procedures to enhance patient understanding and ease patient’s apprehension about surgery
• When an organ structure is selected, it is automatically placed correctly. If a cross section of that same organ is needed, the first selection is replaced with the new selection, instantly.
• FREE apps for a growing variety of medical specialties: Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Vascular, OB/GYN, Critical Care/Anesthesiology, Urology, Otolaryngology, Cardiology, General Surgery, Female Pelvic Surgery and a Sampler package.
• Ranked #4 by iMedicalApps.com
What Could Make the App Better?
• Not all of the available apps in the drawMD library offer in depth medical illustration, i.e., sagittal, transverse or lateral views of anatomical structures.
Learn More: drawMD apps are the flagship product of Visible Health (Austin, TX)
Karen M. Rider, M.A. is a freelance writer who specializes in wellness, health psychology and healthcare news. In addition to writing for print and digital publications, Karen writes marketing content for healthcare and wellness practitioners across a variety of specialties. Connect on LinkedIn
