# The Chief Complaint — Emergency medicine guide

> Emergency medicine clinical guide with algorithmic decision support and community forum. (iPhone/iPad app by Escavo, Inc.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chief-complaint/id969426649 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Escavo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/466952342)
- Category: Education, Medical
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.80/5 from 649 App Store ratings · 25 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 157 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2015-06-13
- Data updated: 2026-07-17
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chief-complaint/id969426649/reviews.md

## What is The Chief Complaint?

The Chief Complaint app now includes access the new ESCAVO Clinical Community, a forum where clinicians can exchange ideas, ask questions and collaborate on sepsis and other clinical topics.

How would you like to walk into the ER confident that you knew what to do, no matter what comes through the door? The Chief Complaint app uses an algorithmic approach to over 50 of the most common complaints encountered in emergency medicine. Never feel lost or overwhelmed again, not knowing what the next step in the work-up is. Not sure what tests to order or if the patient can go home? The Chief Complaint helps you answer all those questions and more!

- Algorithm based approach to the most common emergency medicine complaints
- Based on the #1 bestselling emergency medicine clinical guide "The Chief Complaint"
- Used by the residents of LA County + USC emergency medicine program, one of the top emergency medicine programs in the world
- Color coded by organ system for easy navigation
- Exhaustively referenced to the most important studies and articles in emergency medicine (over 400 citations!) with direct links to PubMed abstracts for easy access to original sources
- Over 60 high resolution clinical management and decision support algorithms
- Direct subject-specific links to EM:RAP, Essentials of Emergency Medicine and theNNT.com for further resources and deeper dives on all subjects
- Journal club feature allows you to dive deeper into the evidence basis of your decisions
- Peer reviewed by leading physicians in emergency medicine
- Important medical calculators and scores commonly used in the ER
- Emergency medicine drug guide easily accessible right from the content pages
- All content, including treatment algorithms, is built-in, network access is only required for content updates
- Automatic content updating keeps app's contents constantly up to date free of charge

The Chief Complaint is an invaluable resource for doctors, residents, medical students, nurses and other healthcare professionals working in emergency medicine and other acute care settings. 

Please send your feedback, questions or bug reports to info@escavo.com, we'd love to hear from you!

Reviews:

"The Chief Complaint is simply indispensable, carry it with me every shift. Excellent algorithms, concise, practical, clinically relevant explanations citing the current best-evidence for management decisions; without doubt Chief Complaint it is THE pocket Emergency Medicine reference to have with you at the bedside."
 -Manuel Montano, MD, PGY-3, LAC+USC EM Residency

"...is really top notch.  I really like how it organizes complaints in a flow pattern type way.  This has allowed me to quickly adjust my decision making and makes it actually useful when I feel super pressured at work.  The further detail located later has been helpful to one, get some good initial learning in and two, look to the resources cited for more in depth discussion."
-David Benaron, UCSD Resident

"Chief complaint is AWESOME...I think every single intern in the country should have one of these...SO COOL!"
 -James Grieme, UCSD Resident

"The aptly named Chief Complaint is simply excellent. I really like the way it is laid out by cc and it's concise enough to be useful on a regular basis. I take it with me to every shift and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a streamlined, functional, real-time guide for working up patients in the ED" 
 -Nick Aldridge, UCSD Resident

"... really something totally new in the medical education world. This app does something many have tried to do but few have achieved, which is to create an orienteering guide to the med-ed landscape while launching your thought processes AT THE BEDSIDE when confronted with a new undifferentiated and undiagnosed patient."
 -William "Billy" Mallon MD,  Foreword

## Key features

- Algorithmic approach to common ER complaints
- Clinical decision support algorithms
- Links to medical resources (PubMed, EM:RAP, etc.)
- Emergency medicine drug guide
- Medical calculators and scores
- ESCAVO Clinical Community forum

## What do users think of The Chief Complaint?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface
- 🧠 Comprehensive differential diagnosis algorithms
- 📚 Excellent educational resource for medical students and residents
- 🎯 Clear, concise, and thorough clinical guidance
- 🔗 Evidence-based recommendations with step-by-step approach
- 💰 Free and valuable resource
- 🏥 Useful across multiple medical specialties and experience levels
- 📖 Well-organized content with clear next steps

**Cons**

- 📱 No iPad landscape mode support
- ⚠️ Potentially outdated information (per one user)
- 📖 Sparse coverage in some specialty areas (OB/GYN, toxicology)

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes when deleting bookmarks

**Most requested features**

- iPad landscape orientation support
- Additional drug information in complaint categories
- Expanded content for OB/GYN and toxicology sections

## Recent user reviews (10 of 25)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chief-complaint/id969426649/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Amazing app

*2025-11-24, version 4.0*

Comprehensive. Very helpful and intuitive

### 5/5 — Awesome app

*2025-08-12, version 4.0*

Great app that is easy to use

### 5/5 — Keeps getting better

*2024-11-11, version 4.0*

I’m a paramedic and use this app for assistance with assessments.  It is a little over the top for EMS but it’s super useful at all levels!

### 5/5 — Amazing app

*2024-05-15, version 4.0*

I am an ED NP, this app is amazing for helping with DDx, and overall thought process. Great app, please continue to support!

### 5/5 — Great App

*2024-05-01, version 4.0*

This app is easy to use, is concise and yet thorough, and has clear recommendations on next steps.

Great for a medical student or resident learner early in their training.

### 5/5 — Rural FM approves.

*2024-04-13, version 4.0*

I am rural FM which means sometimes I'm the emergency doc. Also means that when my patients finally come to their regular clinic visits they always bring me a messy 99215. This app is very solid. Recommend.

### 5/5 — Awesome

*2024-03-17, version 4.0*

Awesome study tool

### 4/5 — EXCELLENT !!! Only missing ipad Landscape mode

*2023-12-07, version 4.0*

An excellent app, and very essential, gives you the step approach.
Only missing the landscape mode for iPads.

### 1/5 — Outdated information

*2023-04-14, version 2.3*

Find an app that has updated information, this is outdated by at least 10 years…

### 5/5 — Excellent resource.

*2023-01-08, version 2.3*

Excellent resource for learning Clinical Management.

## Frequently asked questions about The Chief Complaint

### What does The Chief Complaint app do?

The Chief Complaint app provides an algorithmic approach to over 50 common emergency medicine complaints, offering clinical decision support. It helps users determine next steps in patient work-up, testing, and disposition, and includes a drug guide and medical calculators.

### What are the key features of this app?

Key features include algorithm-based guidance for common ER complaints, direct links to medical resources like PubMed and EM:RAP, an emergency medicine drug guide, medical calculators, and access to the ESCAVO Clinical Community forum for clinician collaboration.

### Is this app free to use?

Based on the provided information, the app is offered for free. Content updates are also provided free of charge, ensuring the app's information remains current.

### What kind of content is included in the app?

The app contains over 60 high-resolution clinical management and decision support algorithms, an emergency medicine drug guide, and important medical calculators and scores. All content is built-in, with network access only needed for updates.

### Who is the target audience for this app?

This app is designed for healthcare professionals working in emergency medicine and other acute care settings. This includes doctors, residents, medical students, and nurses who need quick access to clinical guidance.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.0 — 2023-10-13

- The ESCAVO Clinical Community - a collaboration forum for healthcare professionals

### 3.1 — 2023-05-22

Bug fixation & minor UI improvements

### 3.0 — 2023-05-09

- Complete app rebuild
- Major user interface and performance improvements
- Added Dark Mode support

### 2.3 — 2022-03-14

- Software updates and bug fixes

### 2.2 — 2019-08-27

- Fixed critical CMS bug

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## More apps by Escavo, Inc

- [Sepsis Clinical Guide](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sepsis-clinical-guide/id466952339)
- [LoveSmart](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lovesmart/id1030148126)
- [Sepsis Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sepsis-timer/id1296646401)
- [ESA: VTE Prophylaxis](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esa-vte-prophylaxis/id1466035325)

All apps by Escavo, Inc: https://appshunter.io/developer/466952342

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-17.*