APP OF THE DAY - Differential diagnosis DDX (iPhone/iPad)

Probably not one for Hypochondriacs

14 July 2010 18:00 GMT / By Ben Crompton

Never let it be said that we don't try our best, here at Pocket-lint, to bring you all that's good and great from the world of apps.

This app might go some way to empowering you, readjusting that all important balance between the patient and practitioner; where once we stood in front of the medical profession naked in our ignorance of biological matters and blinded by technical terms, all this knowledge is just a click away thanks to the Differential Diagnosis app from the BMJ Group.

Differential Diagnosis

Format: iPhone/iPad
Price: £4.99
Where: iTunes

On the other hand it is quite possible that this could make you paranoid, unstable and obsessed with bodily function as the app is primarily aimed at helping "healthcare professionals" make a quick and, hopefully, accurate diagnosis from a range of signs and symptoms - so perhaps best left to those who know what they're doing.

So for anyone in the healthcare sector, key features of the app include a symptom browser, which should help with initial diagnosis; a predictive search, which can be done through either symptom or disease; and the ability to browse various diseases alphabetically or by category.

So regardless of where you are, this could make a real difference to making an accurate diagnosis and therefore make a real difference to the patient.