SAN MATEO, Calif., May 2003 ePocrates
Inc., the leading handheld network for clinicians, recently launched
a desktop complement to its PDA software applications. ePocrates
Rx Online , the company's first internet based product for
the desktop, will offer similar features as ePocrates Rx Pro,
its premier handheld clinical reference guide, as well as additional
functionality and content better suited to the desktop environment.
"Over the past several years, we have received thousands
of requests from users who would like to access ePocrates clinical
information via their desktop computer," says CEO John Voris.
"And although there are numerous websites which contain prescribing
and other clinical information, clinicians tell us there is still
a significant need for clinically relevant, concise, easy to access
information on the internet. ePocrates Rx Online will offer our
users and partners new capabilities which will ultimately help
us increase our market reach."
ePocrates Rx Online contains information on thousands of prescription
drugs and alternative medicines, such as dosing, drugs interactions,
adverse reactions, pricing and more. In addition, ePocrates Rx
Online is one of the few online reference guides to include up-to-date
formulary information from leading PBMs, managed care plans, and
hospitals to let clinicians and patients know a drug's formulary
status, copay level and prior authorization requirements.
"As the use of mobile technology among health care providers
continues to grow, ePocrates is committed to providing innovative
clinical solutions for the Palm and Pocket PC platform,"
says Michelle Snyder VP Marketing. "However, we also see
an opportunity to leverage our experience creating intuitive,
concise applications into the desktop market. Our current customers
will find ePocrates Rx Online to be a useful complement to the
information on their PDA. In addition, other clinicians and patients
who do not have PDAs will now be able to access the same information
that over 725,000 healthcare professionals have relied on."
"While I rely on my PDA and ePocrates Rx everyday to help
make informed clinical decisions," says Dr. Hier a neurologist
from Illinois, "there have been many times when I have wanted
to share the information I found in ePocrates with my patients
and staff. The new online version will allow me to not only print
out relevant information for my patients, but also allow my staff
to access the same clinical and formulary information on the office
computer."