[ application review ]
Lab Values App is a
Great Reference Guide
Reviewed by Lisa Mueller, DPT
P
hysical therapists practicing in any
location will often review pertinent
lab values as part of their systems
and medical history review. Rather
than memorizing normal ranges or possible
pathologies causing abnormal values, using
the “Pocket Lab Values” application by Joefrey
Kibuule is a helpful reference tool.
The Pocket Lab Values app contains 325 lab
values and 12 common lab panels. The home
page of the app opens to a search bar at the
top of the page, recently viewed labs, categories of lab values and common panels. Clicking
on a category brings the user to a page of labs
with the name of the lab, a gender icon and the
normal quantitative range of the lab. Clicking
on one of the labs opens to a new page with
more detailed information including a description, possible pathologies causing abnormal
values, an area for notes, related labs and a link
to external websites.
I think the list of pathologies that may
impact a particular lab value is one of the most
beneficial parts of the application. It triggers
me to think about other diagnoses influencing
the patient’s status and may allow for improving the differential diagnosis aspect of an
examination. The external websites include
Google, MedlinePlus, WebMD and Wikipedia,
bringing the user additional information about
the lab values, how they are obtained and risks
of abnormal results.
One of the nice features of the app is a
“favorites” label that can be applied to a particular lab by clicking the star icon on the lower
left corner of the app page. I used the favorites
feature as a way to quiz myself. I chose five
labs as favorites and reviewed them over the
course of a few days, then chose a few new
labs to replace the originals and kept rotating
the favorites until I was able to recall most of
the information. This app would benefit from
a quiz or flashcard function
Overall, the app is a great reference guide.
I didn’t find any errors with the normal values
or any lab that was missing from those I most
regularly use. The wrench on the home page
allows the user to easily convert the values
from the US unit system to the SI system. The
font size is adjustable and the app is easy to
read as well as aesthetically designed. While
having the app for a few weeks, I was surprised
by how often I used it and how quickly I could
find information. It’s certainly an improvement
over the pages of lab values I carried with me
as a student. I’d recommend this app to any
physical therapist and especially to those
practicing in acute care.
The Pocket Lab Values app is available for
both Android- and Apple-powered devices at
their respective stores for $2.99. ■
Lisa Mueller earned her DPT from Marquette University,
Milwaukee, WI, in 2009. She then spent more than two
years working in an acute intensive care unit and has
recently transitioned into an outpatient orthopedic setting.
NOTES:
Pocket Lab Values by Joefrey Kibuule
Rating of Function for Physical Therapy Professionals
Ease of Use
Number of Stars
out of 5
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Relevance to PT

Frequency of Projected Use

Potential for Upgrade with Improvements

Usefulness for Therapeutic Intervention
Accuracy

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Disclaimer: The purpose of this review is to inform the reader about an application related to health care practice. Any opinions
expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of ADVANCE. ©2012 Merion MAtters
ADVANCE
for Physical Therapy & Rehab Medicine®
www.advanceweb.com/PT