There's (now) an app for that

A University of Louisville pediatrician’s comprehensive guide to vaccines, known as a standard in the profession, is now available electronically.

The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians – also known as “The Purple Book” for the color of its cover in hard-copy form – has been developed into an app for iOS devices and is available in Apple’s App Store. The guide’s author is Gary S. Marshall, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UofL who practices with UofL Physicians-Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

The Vaccine Handbook App contains an updated version of the fifth edition of the book, including the latest immunization schedules and recommendations, Marshall said. The app enhances the print version by including functionality features such as keyword search, internal links, bookmarking, quick access to schedules and tables, hyperlinks to external sources and the ability to make real-time updates.

Published by Professional Communications Inc., The Vaccine Handbook has long been known as an authoritative, user-friendly guide to immunizations. Designed for all health care providers, the guide contains practical advice and background on vaccine program infrastructure, standards and regulations, business aspects of vaccine practice, general recommendations, schedules, special circumstances and how to address the concerns of parents and patients. Specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases, the rationale for vaccine use, and available products also are included.

“We are so excited to make this resource available to any provider who wants it,” Marshall said. “Immunizations are one of our greatest public health triumphs. The more useful and credible information that providers have in hand – which, in the case of an app, it literally is – the more vaccine-preventable diseases will become a distant memory.”

Through a collaboration between the publisher and Sanofi Pasteur, there is no charge to download and use the app, although registration and reporting under the Open Payments act is required.