Some Helpful Tools

Every once in a while I like to point out to my fellow EHR users (and future users) a few helpful tools that I use in addition to my EHR software that enhance my medical record keeping. Usually, these are very reasonably-priced programs that perform a specific task that fills a void or completes a task that my current EHR cannot. While the use of said software may take an extra minute or two, the function that is performed increases the level of patient care and generally makes my life a little easier in the long run.

The first product I would like to suggest is called A-PDF Merger from A-PDF.com. This little gem provides a very quick and easy method of combining multiple files into a single PDF. I find this particularly useful for clinical photos. Often, I will have multiple photos of a clinical condition that I would like to be able to see at the same time. With A-PDF Merge, I can combine the multiple .jpg photos into a single PDF that I can view with a single click of the mouse. Many EHR programs will allow you to embed a link to a document in a chart note. By merging the individual clinical photos into a single PDF only one link needs to be embedded. This is definitely a time-saver for me and enhances the functionality of my EHR.

The file downloads and installs quickly and the program works beautifully. In addition to combining .jpg's it can also be used to combine multiple PDF's into one single PDF; combine multiple scanned images or documents (.tif, .bmp, .png and a host of others); and even append pages to existing PDF files. You can download a fully functional trial version from their website that is only limited in that it puts a watermark on the output file. The program can be found here: A-PDF Merger and here is a screenshot from their website:

The next program I would like to suggest, is useful for those of us who need to measure angles on our computer screen. I've already mentioned in a previous blog post that I couldn't justify the expense of a digital radiography unit and therefore I take a digital picture of an x-ray on my view box in a darkened room and import the image into my EHR. The program I use for angle measurements is called Screen Protractor. Although I have found a mediocre "freeware" tool for on-screen measurments, Screen Protractor is reasonably-priced and works exceptionally well. It places a floating, adjustable protractor on my computer screen that I use to measure all of my pre-operative x-rays and obtain measurments for pre-operative planning. It really works great, is a very useful tool and can be found here: Screen Protractor. You can download a trial version to see its usefullness first-hand, but the trial version is limited in the angles it will measure. There is both a Windows and Mac version available. Here is a screenshot from their website.

Lastly, I use a program called Snag-it to capture the X-ray with the protractor overlay. I also use Snag-it as my "go to" screen capture utility. Compared to some screen capture utilities (some are even free) it is a little pricey at just under $50, but I use it on a regular basis and can justify the cost. If you are looking for a less-expensive screen capture utility, you might want to check out ScreenHunter. They have a free version and also a more full-featured version for just under $20.

Do you have a favorite program that you use to enhance your practice? If so, I'd love to hear about it. Drop me an email or leave a comment below.