RXFiles + vs The Ottawa Rules

RxFiles Drug Comparison Charts – App for iPad / iPhone The RxFiles App contains > 106 drug comparison charts (>2100 entries on index pages) in a variety of medical therapeutic areas. The charts are identical to those published in our RxFiles Drug Comparison Charts book. Content for the app is continually updated automatically. RxFiles is an independent provider of objective, comparative drug information and education in Canada. We sift through the evidence, expert opinion and marketing hype in search of a balanced, evidence based and clinically relevant summary of drug information useful for therapeutic decision making. We do not receive any funding from the pharmaceutical industry. Funding comes from a grant to provide academic detailing to physicians in Saskatchewan, with additional “not-for-profit” revenue from sale of books, electronic information and services. Current topic areas focus on drug use in primary care including: cardiology, dermatology, endocrine/diabetes, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, infectious disease, musculoskeletal/pain, neurology, gynecology, psychiatry, respiratory and a variety of other miscellaneous topic areas. More information on drug and therapeutic areas covered is available from our website. What’s in a chart: *Guidance on therapeutic approaches, from evidence based reviews, guidelines and clinical opinion *Drug names (including major brand names), strengths and formulations *Contraindications, side effects and drug interactions focusing on those most relevant to drug selection and individualization of therapy *Various dosing information (initial, typical maintenance, maximum) and typical cost in Canada *Advantages, disadvantages and special considerations for various drugs. A word on the “density” of information. The drug charts are packed full of information as a place to make multiple comparisons on one or two pages. Thus, those who like them, love them for the reason that there is a lot of comparative and clinical detail packed onto the page; however, for those who are used to larger fonts and spacious formatting, these charts will take a bit of getting used to. The charts will be most useful for the larger screen of the iPad, but will also work with the iPhone and iTouch. Searching the RxFiles information has been enhanced for this app. The app is sorted by medical system categories or through an auto-populated index. The app is designed as an annual subscription providing ongoing use and updates for one year. We have attempted to provide value for the lowest cost possible that allows for ongoing maintenance and development of this information. Additional newsletters, Q&As and clinical trial summaries are available from our website. This App enhances utility of RxFiles, for which a subscription is required which must be renewed on a yearly basis.

The Ottawa Rules are a set of clinical decision rules developed by Dr. Ian Stiell and his research team at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa. The rules have been demonstrated to decrease unnecessary diagnostic imaging and emergency room wait times which enhances patient comfort and reduces health care costs. This app was developed to make the rules more accessible. This study aims to evaluate whether the usability of the app is related to the modality used and to evaluate whether it has any impact on diagnostic imaging rates.