This article is the opinion of the CPSBC Library and has not been peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board.

Versatile and efficient smartphones, such as the Android, BlackBerry, or iPhone, are being used increasingly to access clinical information. The resources on the College Library website can be view­ed on any of these mobile devices. Some products, including PubMed, BMJ Point-of-Care, Procedures Consult, and BC Clinical Practice Guidelines and Protocols, have also developed unique apps or modified their web-based versions for ease of use with smartphones. 

The link to the PubMed handheld interface is an option on the Library web page (www.cpsbc.ca/library/databases [12]). This interface has unique abilities that simplify searching. It provides a structured search and offers natural language options that can be restricted by specific filters, such as systematic reviews or clinical queries, and links to College-subscribed e-journals where available. 

The handheld version of BMJ Point-of-Care with Epocrates (www.cpsbc.ca/library/bmj [13]) displays seamlessly; all features for disease and drug monographs, interaction checker, and so on, are formatted for the smaller screen. 

Procedures Consult, a multimedia procedures training and reference tool in emergency medicine and anesthesia, has a handheld application in addition to its web-based format (www.cpsbc.ca/library/pda-video-audio [14]). Access to the Procedures Consult app requires a user name and password available by contacting the College Library. 

Condensed versions of BC Clinical Practice Guidelines and Protocols are available for free to download to iPhones in addition to viewing in your browser (www.bcguidelines.ca/index.html [15]).

In upcoming columns, we will highlight other smartphone-friendly apps that assist physicians to access medical evidence efficiently and effectively. 
—Karen MacDonell
—Robert Melrose
—Judy Neill
Library Co-Managers