Pepid vs. epocrotes, vs. skyscape

carachel2 · Nov 19, 2008

I thought Epocrates didn't yet work on the iTouch?? But apparently it is up and working well?

DaisyRN, ACNP · Nov 19, 2008

yea, i didn't realize that the itouch was a "smart" phone where you can download programs and such to it... but that's beside the point.

i have purchased the full version of epocrates and the pcp suite of pepid. i purchased the epocrates version when my last pepid subscription expired thinking it would be superior. when i switched, i was lost. epocrates is not as user friendly as pepid. it does have some good information, don't get me wrong... but i believe pepid takes the cake, hands down. i refer to pepid pcp suite nearly daily. (i went back and purchased the pcp suite of pepid, too). oh, and by the way... i work both inpatient and outpatient... so even though it is "primary care plus"... it's great for inpatient reference, too. what i love about pepid is that all the topics are integrated, meaning: let's say you want to look at hypertension.

when i click hypertension, it gives me options to choose:

a) background and patho

b) jnc 7

c) diagnostics

1) measuring bp

2) general principles

3) differential dx

d) therapeutics

1) general principles

2) lifestyle modifications

3) dash diet

4) drug therapy

5) comorbid conditions

a) diabetes

b) chf

c) renal disease

d) intracerebral hemorrhage

e) obesity

6) special populations

7) resistant htn

8) other considerations

9) follow-up

(etc...)

all of the above are workable "links" so to speak... if you were to choose "drug therapy," it takes you to info about drug therapy but when it talks about specific medication, it includes integrated links to the specific classes of drugs and examples of the drugs. let's say you choose hctz... you click on the "link"... and it takes you to all info about hctz where it tells you nearly everything you would ever want to know about hctz. it also includes "links" to other applicable information within the hctz listing, such as "diuretics: general information" and "drug interactions."

i just love it because it is so easy to manipulate. you don't have to keep going back and forth among menus. plus epocrates (the full version) runs slow, imo. epocrates has good information, i cannot deny that... and i have to say there have been maybe 2-3 times over the last 8 months that i referred to epocrates after looking something up in pepid. it's a rarity.

hope this helped... good luck!

Trauma Columnist · Nov 19, 2008

Hey thanks Daisy - I've always been an ePocrates Pro user but may want to try Pepid too.

emtneel · Nov 19, 2008

Daisy thanks, i actually had never heard of Pepid til you mentioned it in another post.

Does anybody know, in MA you have to have written guidelines, with your supervising physician. So if Pepid/epocrates are not in the guidelines, do i have to have them put in the guidelines or not use them?

The references they have listed are

contraceptive technology

MMWR

procedures for primary care physicians

red book

up to date

harriet lane handbook

the sprots medicine patient advisor

clinical guidelines in family practice/ uphold/graham

i do like up to date and uphold/graham, but not sure if those are versions you can have on your handheld without having internet access.

DaisyRN, ACNP · Nov 20, 2008

hey thanks daisy - i've always been an epocrates pro user but may want to try pepid too.

sure, no problem! i will be a lifelong subscriber, i'm sure! and it's a side note, but can be important... they're tech support is great too.

DaisyRN, ACNP · Nov 20, 2008

daisy thanks, i actually had never heard of pepid til you mentioned it in another post.
does anybody know, in ma you have to have written guidelines, with your supervising physician. so if pepid/epocrates are not in the guidelines, do i have to have them put in the guidelines or not use them?
the references they have listed are
contraceptive technology
mmwr
procedures for primary care physicians
red book
up to date
harriet lane handbook
the sprots medicine patient advisor
clinical guidelines in family practice/ uphold/graham
i do like up to date and uphold/graham, but not sure if those are versions you can have on your handheld without having internet access.

well, here's my take on it. pepid gives you references at the bottom of everything, such as the ada guidelines for diabetes mgmt, the acc/aha guidelines for cardiac issues, the jnc7 guidelines for htn mgmt... the same type of references used in uptodate... so i think, indirectly, you are covered.

KatieRN04 · Nov 20, 2008

Where do you get the pepid program?

allnurses Guide · Nov 21, 2008

pepid.com

BarbaraNP · Nov 29, 2008

Daisy,

I wish I had seen this last month...just renewed my Epocrates suite for the year! There are times it leaves a bit to be desired for sure.

I had totally forgotten about pepid...read about it years ago. Sounds like it has come a long way. Will check it out.

Thanks,

BarbaraNP

DaisyRN, ACNP · Nov 29, 2008

daisy,
i wish i had seen this last month...just renewed my epocrates suite for the year! there are times it leaves a bit to be desired for sure.
i had totally forgotten about pepid...read about it years ago. sounds like it has come a long way. will check it out.
thanks,
barbaranp

hey barbara,

that's what happened to me. i had been using pepid for a year or two and then when it came time to renew, i thought... "i'll just use epocrates instead." so, i paid for the full version and hated it. then i went back to pepid... so right now, i have both. lol. never again.

RN007 · Nov 29, 2008

Daisy,

May I ask what PDA you use?

Thanks!

RN007