Librarian reviewers from Saskatchewan Health Authority and Alberta Health Services consider the audience and purpose of the apps, as well as highlighting additional features:
Our complete grading criteria is embedded in the review.
Note: Reviewers are not healthcare professionals and don't appraise the quality of any recommendations within the app. Reviews are not meant as endorsements.
Human Dx |
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Image Source: Human Dx, Apple App Store. Retrieved on December 30, 2019 from: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/human-dx/id1032495132
Stated Purpose
“The Human Diagnosis Project (also referred to as “Human Dx” or “the Project”) is a worldwide effort, created with and led by the global medical community, to build an open intelligence system that maps the steps to help any patient. By combining the collective intelligence of medical professionals and trainees with machine learning, Human Dx intends to enable more accurate, affordable, and accessible care for all. The Project’s creation and development has been inspired by other civilization-scale scientific projects (e.g., the International Space Station, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, and the Human Genome Project) and open technology efforts (e.g., Wikipedia, Linux, and the Internet Protocol Suite)” (Human Dx home page, https://www.humandx.org/)
“The Human Diagnosis Project (Human Dx) enables medical professionals and trainees everywhere to collaborate on clinical puzzles to learn and help society. Join a global community dedicated to ending unequal access to medical knowledge.” (Google Play Listing: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.humandx.cases&hl=en_CA)
What is unique about this app is that it functions as a differential diagnosis platform – whenever a user works through a case study, his/her diagnosis is captured by the Human Dx system to enhance a patient’s care. The app was recommended by a paramedic working in Alberta Health Services (AHS), where Human Dx is already being used.
Features
Users can tag various entries and assign them to various needs in the point-of-care process. Users can also add sections to their favorites for later reference. There is also a Recent feature that saves the previous entries visited in earlier usage. The content is also searchable by keyword.
Screenshots
Specialties/Disciplines
A specialty must be chosen from a provided list and there is no option for “Other”. You cannot proceed without choosing a specialty in the Specialties list when you sign up (see Complete Evaluation for the complete listings).
Profession is divided into two areas: clinical role and training level and each have a provided list to choose from (see Complete Evaluation for the complete listings).
Notes
None
Part 1: Editorial committee, content updates, and evidence grading
Human Dx functions as a clinical decisions training tool, presenting a series of patient case scenarios, which, based on the evidence provided, leads the user to suggest a diagnosis (the correct diagnosis is revealed once all of the findings have been presented and a diagnosis is made. Scoring is out of 65 (30 points for accuracy, 30 points for effectiveness, and 5 points for completion).
Part 2: Source and authorship information for 3 entries
Cases are well laid out and the authors are affiliated with known or easily findable medical establishments.
This app is a clinical decision training tool, presenting real-life cases, complete with a wide range of findings (including symptoms, medical history, imaging, lab, and other diagnostic results). This app will be particularly useful to medical students and healthcare professionals to check their diagnostic hypotheses with that of medical experts. Once a diagnosis has been submitted, the current answer becomes available, however users are invited to challenge the official diagnosis and correspond with other users in a community forum setting.
Organization of information
All cases are peer-reviewed from a wide range of clinical domains. Each case study is presented as a standalone entity, with findings relayed individually. This format is intuitive.
Navigation
Jumping between instructions, comments or teaching notes: back and forth buttons
Extras
User Account required: Yes
Internet connection required for use: Yes - Continuous Internet connection is required as cases are generated randomly, and certain cases have more components (i.e. imaging, etc.) than others that can take up considerable bandwidth
Text search field: No
Browsable content: Yes
Advertisements: No
Pop-up advertisements: No
In-app purchases: No
Devices
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. Requires Apple iOS 10.0 or later. https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/human-dx/id1032495132
Last updated (as per App store listing): November 8, 2019
Android tablets and smartphones. Requires OS 6.0 and up. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.humandx.cases&hl=en
Last updated (as per Google Play listing): November 8, 2019
Size
Google Play varies with device. 7.1.1: 56.38MB (Motorola E4 Android); 95.3 MB (iOS).
App Developer
Human Dx, Ltd.
Country of Origin
USA
Contact
Email: contact@humandx.org
Website: https://www.humandx.org/
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