iPhone Application PedsFluShot for information on Influenza vaccines and how many to give to children in the 2010-2011 season was designed and developed collaboratively between Dr. Joshua Steinberg at Wilson Family Practice Residency, the Computer Science Dept. at Binghamton University, and Dr. Christopher Ryan at the Broome County Department of Health, Broome County, NY.

[Description] [Intended Users] [Team Members] [Contact and Support] [Screen Shots]

Description

This is a simple app which helps a clinician do just one thing: decide how many Influenza vaccines to give a child in the 2010-2011 flu/flu-shot season.  In most years, kids under 9 years old need 2 doses of Influenza vaccine the first-ever season that they are vaccinated, and one dose each season thereafter.  But the antigenic shift of the 2009 pandemic means that more kids in 2010-2011 will need 2 doses.  This tool helps clinicians evaluate how many doses a child will need.  It's a small topic, but one which will come up quite frequently this year.

Why is this topic important?  After all, one could just give all children 2 shots and wind up over-vaccinating only a portion.  Several reasons why...

This app is written and intended for practicing physicians like pediatricians, family physicians, and hospitalists; for resident physician trainees; for medical students; and for nurses and pharmacists involved in Influenza vaccination. In addition to being a reference, the algorithm is written to be a teaching tool by not just delivering an answer, but instead walking a physician through the evaluation process so that one learns that process along the way. As an educator and clinician, I am interested in feedback and I would be grateful for guidance on improving the tool.

Intended Users

Team Members

Contact and Support

Please contact Dr. Joshua Steinberg via email with your comments, questions and suggestions.