Quite often patients seeking information about medication or drugs reach pharmacists and nurses to get more information. The written directions found on drug labels are sometimes not easy for patients to understand. Fortunately, medical apps are now available to help solve the medication-related problems of patients.
Can I identify a pill by taking a picture?
These medical apps, operable on mobile phones, have been extremely useful for nurses and pharmacists in helping them give instant and accurate information to patients.
Mobile medical app development allows multiple features and tools, like drug references, guides, and facilities for patients and care providers, pill identifiers, prescription saving, and even pill reminder features.
How do I figure out what pill this is?
Listed below are five pill identifier apps essential for pharmacists and nurses working in the modern world.
5 Free to Use Pill Identifier Apps
- Epocrates
An essential medical and drug reference app, Epocrates is one of the first mobile medical apps made for healthcare professionals and consumers. Among the many features available on this app, there are drug prescribing and safety details, pill identification tools, adult and child dosage information, contraindications, side effects of medicines, and more for thousands of drugs.
The pill identification tool is very helpful for identifying and verifying drugs instantly by describing their color, shape, imprint code, or other aspects. The names of the pills, along with pictures, that match any of the criteria are displayed.
This mobile app also allows people to learn about harmful drug interactions, and get diagnostic information for the users, and treatment. Added to these, there is a drug reference guide on various kinds of medicines, drug class comparisons, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and vaccinations.
Epocrates is a free-to-download and uses the app, that nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals find extremely useful.
- Pill Identifier and Drug List – Patient Care Edition
This must-have app offers a comprehensive drug reference guide for more than 60,000 different types of drugs. This helps you to get the details about any medication quickly. This comprehensive drug information app is useful to find branded and generic medicines by name, which are all displayed alphabetically.
This free-to-use app facilitates pharmacists in bookmarking the drugs and using the barcode to find the medication instantly in their store inventory. An extremely useful BMI calculator helps nurses and other healthcare providers calculate the body mass index by the height and weight of an individual.
It helps to determine whether the body weight is optimal taking into account the patient’s height, and if it is not, then that may indicate a health risk. Moreover, there is a fair price tool, which gives information about the fair price of a drug.
Apart from these, there is a feature for searching nearby hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and other healthcare institutions, close to the current location of the user, which comes in handy during emergencies.
So, Pill Identifier and Drug List – Patient Care Edition has multiple features to make it one of the most essential apps for nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals.
- GoodRx
This medical app allows healthcare professionals and patients to compare prices across various pharmacies situated locally with ease. Through this app, saving coupons are provided that can be used in pharmacies all over the US.
These coupons can be used from the app itself, without the need of taking any print-outs of these. Another feature is searching for medications by entering the name or the medical condition. The names of the drugs are displayed in the top 20 list, or the medical conditions are shown alphabetically.
Moreover, GoodRx also features a pill identifier tool with which users can search for drugs by entering their shape and color into the database. The drug image is then displayed on the screen, along with some information about the medication or drug.
This app is can be used for free and is suitable for pharmacists, nurses, healthcare providers, and even for end consumers.
- Pepid
This medical app has gained popularity in the healthcare world. Pepid provides evidence-based clinical and drug information, which is useful for nurses, pharmacists, and many other professionals working in the medical sector.
This app comes with a robust pill identification tool and drug resources. It also includes an option for checking and identifying symptoms in order to diagnose diseases on the basis of symptoms, physical tests, and lab results.
Pepid stores information about different diseases, medical conditions, and treatment procedures.
- WebMD
This medical app is a comprehensive resource for medical information and also includes the symptom-checker tool. Medical professionals find this app a decision-making support tool while dealing with patients. The app’s pill identification tool is very useful for identifying prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs by the color, shape, and imprint of the pill.
It also offers details about various drugs, and medical conditions, along with other medical and lifestyle-related topics. Its extensive database provides information about drugs, vitamins, and supplements. This app even allows users to access details relating to the uses of drugs, warnings, side effects, and more.
Another important feature of this app is the first aid essentials which come in handy during medical emergencies. This is indeed a very helpful app for all healthcare givers and even for patients.
- mClinicApp – Clinic Management App
This Medical is the modern way to digitize hospital and Clinic Systems, with Saas-based Software and with a mobile app with a simple UI interface.
mClinic App also makes it easy for doctor and patient to easily book an appointment anyplace, this also support an Appointment Management System, Prescription Management System, Payment Management System, Reception Management System, and many more.
How do I identify a pill on my iPhone?
All those apps are available on your iPhone or android. Most of them are free and are currently really good at identifying different pills.
Is there a free pill identifier app?
- Epocrates
- mClinicApp
- WebMD
- Pepid
- GoodRx
- Pill Identifier and Drug List – Patient Care Edition
Why can’t I identify this pill?
There are several reasons why you might be unable to identify a pill:
It could be a generic version of a medication: Generic medications are often sold in different shapes, sizes, and colors than the brand-name version.
It could be an over-the-counter supplement: Many supplements, such as vitamins and herbal remedies, are not regulated by the FDA and may not have to identify information on the label.
It could be a medication that is not available in the United States: Some medications that are available in other countries may not be available in the United States, and may not have to identify information that is familiar to you.
It could be a medication that has been tampered with: It is possible that the pill has been altered or counterfeited in some way, making it difficult to identify.
What do pill markings mean?
Pill markings are letters, numbers, or symbols that are imprinted on the surface of a pill. These markings can help identify the medication and distinguish it from other pills.
The markings on a pill can indicate the name of the medication, the strength of the dose, and the manufacturer. For example, the markings “5 mg” on a pill might indicate that the pill contains 5 milligrams of a particular medication. The markings “APO” might indicate that the pill was manufactured by Apotex, a Canadian pharmaceutical company.
It is important to note that the markings on a pill may not always be easy to read, and the size, shape, and color of the pill may not be the same for every medication. If you are unsure about what the markings on a pill mean, it is a good idea to speak with a healthcare provider or pharmacist for guidance.
Is there a drug identifier app?
Yes, there are several drug identifier apps available that can help you identify pills and other medications. These apps allow you to enter the pill markings, shape, and color of the medication, and provide information about the medication and its use.
It is important to note that drug identifier apps should not be used as a replacement for medical advice. If you are unsure about medication and are unable to identify it using an app, it is important to speak with a healthcare provider or pharmacist for guidance.
Do all pills have imprints?
Not all pills have imprints, or markings, on them. Some pills, particularly generic medications and over-the-counter supplements, may not have any identifying information on them. In these cases, it may be difficult to identify the medication without the assistance of a healthcare provider or a pharmacist.
It is important to note that the size, shape, and color of a pill may not always be the same for every medication. If you are unsure about a medication and are unable to identify it based on its appearance, it is a good idea to speak with a healthcare provider or a pharmacist for guidance. Do not take any medication that you are unsure about.
What techniques are used to identify drugs?
There are several techniques that can be used to identify drugs, including:
Visual inspection: This involves examining the appearance of the drug, including its size, shape, color, and any markings or imprints on the surface.
Chemical testing: This involves using chemicals to test the properties of the drug, such as its solubility, pH, and melting point.
Chromatographic techniques: This involves separating the components of the drug using a substance that absorbs certain molecules, such as paper or a solid material.
Spectroscopic techniques: This involves analyzing the light absorbed or emitted by the drug to determine its chemical structure.
Mass spectrometry: This involves breaking the drug down into its individual components and analyzing the masses of these components to determine the chemical structure of the drug.
Genetic testing: This involves analyzing the genetic material of the drug to identify its species or strain.
