Purpose
For many health professionals, clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are an important pillar of decision-making when managing chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Historically, these guidelines have been compiled into volumes of information kept in binders in physicians’ offices. Updating and navigating the guidelines is often an onerous task.
Mobile technology and mobile applications, or “apps,” open up the potential to make significant improvements to this aspect of chronic disease management, and the usability of CPGs.
Overview
The Guidelines and Protocols Advisory Committee (GPAC), comprised of members from the Ministry of Health Services and the British Columbia Medical Association, uses the CliniPEARLS platform to distribute their clinical guidelines in condensed form using their free BC Guidelines applications. Currently there are more than 5000 registered physicians and other health professionals using the BC Guidelines mobile applications.
Health care professionals and medical students can use these guidelines at the point of care to ensure that they are following British Columbia’s latest evidence. There are 38 guidelines currently available. Please see the photo gallery below for some screenshots of the application.
Highlights
- Currently, these guidelines are available for the iPhone/iPod, BlackBerry devices running OS 3.4 to 5.0, and Windows Mobile devices. To register or download the application for your mobile device go to www.clinipearls.ca/bcguidelines
- To download the BC Guidelines iPhone app directly from iTunes click here.
- View the presentation featuring BC Guidelines given at the Vancouver Year of Science event in November 2010.
Partners & Collaborators
Contact
To learn more about this project, please visit www.clinipearls.ca/bcguidelines
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