Palmtop medical information

Medical practice is increasingly being computerised. In our offices we use our PCs to prescribe electronically with fewer errors, automatic recognition of potential drug interactions and allergies, and more legible scripts. Clinical decision support software offers the potential to add rigour to our decision making. Many of us use real time web access to support this functionality. How can these important developments be extended to our work in the emergency department, on home visits, while caring for patients in institutions, and other settings where the practitioner is away from the office and its resources?

It is …