Comparison

Patient Communicator vs Quick Reference Critical Care

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Patient Communicator

Facilitates communication between patients, families, and caregivers with multi-language translations and tools to express needs, pain, and moods. Includes educational materials and a diary to track progress during and after a hospital stay.

Highlights
  • Multi-language translation (18 languages)
  • Patient diary for progress tracking
  • Pain and mood expression scale
  • Glossary of medical terms
  • Educational booklet download
  • Translatable phrases for needs
Read full description

The Patient Communicator by the Society of Critical Care Medicine is designed to improve communication among patients, families, and caregivers. With translations in 18 languages; a diary feature; options to easily communicate about pain, moods, and needs; a glossary of terms and other education materials for patients and families; the Patient Communicator app can help ease the stress of a hospital stay. Features include: - A diary function that allows patients to track their daily progress during and after a hospital stay - Translation capabilities that allow for two-way communication in 18 languages on a variety of topics, such as pain, basic needs, feelings, and moods - A scale that allows patients to identify where on the body they feel sensations of pain, itching, and nausea and express the intensity of these sensations - More than 30 translatable phrases that allow patients to express various needs related to their care and well-being - A glossary of terms to help educate patients and families about the intensive care unit - A free download of the booklet Understanding Your ICU Stay: Information for Patients and Families Available translation languages: - English - Español (Spanish) - Mandarin (普通话 ) - Dutch (Nederlands) - Hindi - French (Français) - Italiano - Portuguese (Portuges) - Russian - Swedish (Svenska) - Czech (Čeština) - Polnisch (Polski/Polish) - Turkish - Ukrainian (українська) - Lithuanian (Lietuvių) - Arabic - German (Deutsch) - Japanese Contact ​support@sccm.org for more information.

About

Quick Reference Critical Care

This app provides immediate, on-the-job answers for critical care professionals. It offers updated, evidence-based procedures and stabilization practices in a quick-read outline format, covering a broad range of patient topics by body system.

Highlights
  • Updated critical care content
  • Full-color images
  • Extensive abbreviations list
  • Bulleted outline format
  • Over 350 illustrations
  • Body system chapters
  • SmartSearch technology
Features
Read full description

"Try before you buy" - Download the FREE App, which includes sample content. An in-App purchase is required to unlock all content.   Need to brush up on your ICU skills? New to ICU, or a veteran? Get immediate on-the-job answers, with the popular and fully updated Quick Reference to Critical Care, 6th Edition. This indispensable pocket guide addresses a broad range of critical care patient topics, divided by body system and organized alphabetically within each chapter for quick access. Disease processes, disorders, medications, and titration, tests, lab results, formulas, ICU equipment and treatment strategies and goals are discussed. Each well-illustrated entry explains the latest evidence-based procedures and stabilization practices in a convenient, quick-read outline, making it the ideal quick reference for following proven protocols. Up-level your critical care expertise and confidence, with: * NEW and completely updated content that offers current information on cutting edge critical care topics * NEW full-color images throughout * NEW extensive abbreviations list that explains unfamiliar abbreviations found in progress notes, surgical reports and other medical documents * Ideal on-the-spot quick reference – Read-at-a-glance bulleted outline format that helps you grasp ideas quickly and take immediate action * More than 350 illustrations – figures, algorithms, photos, drawings and tables that outline core terms and concepts, with easy-to-retain definitions of key terms * Chapters for each body system – expert nursing guidance on evaluating and treating the neurologic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal and urinary, renal, endocrine, hematologic and immune systems * Each chapter offers an alpha-organized list of disorders and injuries pertaining to that topic or body system * Vital direction for on-the-unit action – includes sections on labs, imaging and miscellaneous items not covered in other sections * Expert direction on areas such as body system structures and functions, anatomy, diagnostic tools, surgical methods, signs and symptoms, treatments, monitoring, drug administration, catheters and electrode procedures, waveforms and more The quick-reference format offers: * Extensive cross-referencing – leads to related information * Tables and charts – vital info on medication, dosing, conversions, compatibilities, and more * “Troubleshooting” feature – practical guidance for solving technical problems or complications   No internet connection is required to access the content after the initial download. Find information quickly using powerful SmartSearch technology. Search part of term for those hard to spell medical terms. Content licensed from printed ISBN 10: 1975136837 Content licensed from printed ISBN 13: 9781975136833 SUBSCRIPTION : Please choose an auto renewable subscription plan to receive content access & continuous updates. Your subscription automatically renews as per your plan, so you always have the latest content.   Yearly auto-renewing payments - $59.99 Six-month subscription - $39.99   Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscription may be managed by the user & auto-renewal can be disabled at any time by going to your device “Settings” and tapping “iTunes & App Store”. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable.   If you have any questions or comments, email us any time: customersupport@skyscape.com or call 508-299-30000   Privacy Policy-https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/privacypolicy.aspx Terms and Conditions-https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/licenseagreement.aspx   Editor(s): Nancy H. Diepenbrock Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Screenshots

Patient Communicator4 screens
Quick Reference Critical Care4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Patient Communicator at none against Quick Reference Critical Care's 2. Patient Communicator also leads on ads (none vs shown). Quick Reference Critical Care's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Quick Reference Critical Care sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per 6 months. Patient Communicator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Quick Reference Critical Care holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 10 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Patient Communicator ships an update every 9 months, Quick Reference Critical Care every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Patient Communicator versus Quick Reference Critical Care: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPatient CommunicatorQuick Reference Critical Care
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (10 ratings)4.9 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1010
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB46 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperSociety of Critical Care MedicineSkyscape Medpresso Inc

Customer experience

Patient Communicator

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative20.0%

Quick Reference Critical Care

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Patient Communicator

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Quick Reference Critical Care

Subscriptions2
  • Quick Ref-Critical Care 6M Sub$39.996 Months
  • Quick Ref-Critical Care 1Y Sub$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Patient Communicator free?
Patient Communicator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Quick Reference Critical Care free?
Quick Reference Critical Care is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Patient Communicator or Quick Reference Critical Care?
Quick Reference Critical Care is rated higher. Patient Communicator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Quick Reference Critical Care averages 4.9 from 10 ratings.
Do Patient Communicator or Quick Reference Critical Care have ads?
Quick Reference Critical Care shows ads; Patient Communicator does not.
Which is updated more often, Patient Communicator or Quick Reference Critical Care?
Patient Communicator ships an update every 9 months, and Quick Reference Critical Care every 6 months. Most recently, Patient Communicator was updated on June 10, 2026 and Quick Reference Critical Care on September 10, 2026.

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