Epocrates products are designed to be easy to use, but we understand that for busy professionals like yourself, it can still be hard to find the time to learn about all of our features.

So each month we bring you tips to help you get more from Epocrates products and services.

Check for Drug-Drug Interactions with the MultiCheck Feature

Find a Specific Therapy for an Infection (& Set Your Default to Specific Tx)

PLUS: Share your Epocrates tips with colleagues & Get More Tips!

Check for Drug-Drug Interactions with the MultiCheck Feature

The MultiCheck feature is a useful tool in identifying potential drug-drug interactions.

For example, before prescribing a new drug for a patient, you can use MultiCheck to determine if any potential drug-drug interaction would exist between the new drug and the patient’s current drug therapies. If any potential interactions exist, details of the interaction are provided, including the recommended action, the effects of the interaction, and the mechanism of the interaction.

If you have the Epocrates Rx Pro premium drug reference, or Epocrates Rx Online web-based drug reference, you can even check for interactions between drugs and alternative (herbal) medicines.

How?

All Mobile Software Users:

1. Tap on the Rx tab in your Epocrates application.
2. Tap on the red MultiCheck icon,.
3. Look up a drug/alt med* and tap on it to add it to your checklist.
4. Select another 1-29 drugs/alt meds* to check.
5. Tap on Drugs.
6. If any interactions are found, they are organized into clinically useful categories.
7. Tap on the interaction to view details.
8. Tap Back to add or remove a drug from the list, or tap New List to start again.

*Alt meds are a premium mobile feature.

Epocrates Rx Online Users:

1. Tap on the MultiCheck tab, .
2. Search for a drug/alt med and click Add to List >> to add it to your checklist.
3. Select another 1-49 drugs/alt meds to check.
4. Click on Run MultiCheck.
5. If any interactions are found, they appear under MultiCheck Results.
6. Click on the interaction to view details in the yellow box.
7. Add or remove drugs, or click Clear All start again.

Find a Specific Therapy for an Infection (& Set Your Default to Specific Tx)

The Epocrates ID infectious disease treatment guide, part of the Epocrates Rx Pro premium drug reference, provides treatment recommendations for hundreds of infectious diseases. Empiric treatments and specific treatments (based on the infecting organism and the site of infection) are provided, if applicable.  You can find specific treatments for an infection either by the infecting organism (“bug”) or by the location of the infection (“system”).

How?

Premium Mobile Software Subscribers Only:

By "Bug"

1. Tap on the ID tab within your Epocrates application.
2. Tap on the box in the top right corner and select Bug from the menu.
3. Look up your "bug" (to see what kind of microbe it is, tap on the code on the right hand side), and tap on it.
4. Narrow down your lookup to the specific infectious disease if prompted.
5. Tap on the box in the lower left corner and select Specific Tx.
6. Tap on any underlined drug to link to the drug monograph.

By "System"

1. Tap on the ID tab within your Epocrates application.
2. Tap on the box in the top right corner and select System from the menu.
3. Look up the “system” and tap on it.
4. Narrow down your lookup to the specific infectious disease if prompted.
5. Tap on the box in the lower left corner and select Specific Tx.
6. Tap on any underlined drug to link to the drug monograph.

Pocket PC OS users only: To set your default to Specific Tx, tap on Tools and then tap on Preferences. Select Default to: Specific Tx and then tap on OK.

Get More Tips!

NEW! Visit the Epocrates Tips Page for lots more time-saving tips.

Plus, you'll find a Product Feature Guide for each Epocrates mobile and web-based product in our Support Portal.

Share Your Epocrates Tips With Colleagues

Do you have a tip that could help the 460,000 professionals in our network save time and get more out of their Epocrates references?

If so, please email us at: tips@epocrates.com.

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www.epocrates.com

Use the MultiCheck Feature to check for Interactions Among up to 30 Drugs & Alternative Medicines
(50 in Epocrates Rx Online)

Find Specific Treatment Guidelines for an Infection

Pocket PC Users: Set Your Default to Specific Tx