Less than a month after their launch in the iTunes App Store, the  Merck Manual apps are already proving to be convenient resources valued by healthcare professionals and consumers on the go. Both apps have received excellent reviews and are among the Top Paid Apps in the medical category.

Customer comments and reviews for the Professional Edition (App Store link) have come from a variety of sources. Rickkus wrote in the Australia App Store, “Lots of cross references and they are all linked. Just click the link and you are there. Much more information than similar medical apps I have bought, and less than half their price.” In the US App Store, Nursemedic99 commented, “If you like the Merck Manual, you’ll definitely like this app. I use it on a regular basis. It’s well worth the $30 to have the Merck with you at all times.” Before purchasing the app, a healthcare professional who works in a hospital contacted us to confirm that a WiFi/Internet connection is not needed (“we do not have WiFi in my area”). We confirmed that’s true and  then modified the App Store description to emphasize that particular feature of the app. The Professional Edition app has also received positive reviews from lawyers. Jeff Richardson, an attorney and publisher of iPhoneJD.com, wrote a high quality and in-depth review where he concluded, “I suspect that many lawyers have, like me, found the need to look up medical terms, such as during a break in a deposition…the Merck Manual apps are excellent sources of medical information and it is very useful to have all of this information at your fingertips on the iPhone for quick and easy access.”

The Home Edition (App Store link), which is among the top 20 paid apps in the medical category as of this writing, is proving to be a valuable resource for consumers. In the US App Store, Kessee wrote, “Great reference too, easy to navigate, tons of info at a reasonable price!!” and Mehall7 commented, “Easy to use and well worth the price. You won’t regret buying this.” Heather Leister, TheiPhoneMom who’s been mentioned in TechCrunch on more than one occasion, wrote, “This is one heck of an impressive app” and “I’m the type that likes to go into a doctor’s appointment having done some research and love having all this medical information on my itty bitty phone.” In his thorough review of the app at Medtapp.com, family physician Dr. Jojo Ferrer noted that the app enables users to “report bugs, suggest features, and sign up for the newsletter. Kudos to Agile Partners for enabling these in-app; it shows how much importance they give to customer feedback.”

As we said in our blog post when the apps launched, we’re proud of the work with our partners at Merck on the iPhone versions of The Merck Manuals. It’s now fulfilling to see the apps starting to be recognized as valuable references for consumers and healthcare professionals alike. To learn more about both iPhone applications, please visit the Merck Manuals page.

We’re delighted to announce our two newest apps: The Merck Manual – Home Edition (App Store link) for consumers and The Merck Manual – Professional Edition (App Store link) for healthcare professionals. These two Merck Manual apps bring to the iPhone a medical reference that has been trusted for over 100 years.

A Bit of History
In 1899, the pharmaceutical company Merck first published a small book titled Merck’s Manual of the Materia Medica. The Merck Manual (as it was later known) became a favorite of those involved in medical care or in need of a medical reference. Albert Schweitzer carried a copy to Africa in 1913 and Admiral Byrd brought a copy to the South Pole in 1929.

By the 1980’s, the book had become the world’s best-selling medical reference and was translated into more than a dozen languages. In 1997, The Merck Manual – Home Edition was published. Written in everyday language, the Home Edition is meant for anyone interested in medical care, but who may not have a medical degree. It has received critical acclaim and sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

The Merck Manual iPhone Apps
Agile Partners collaborated with Merck to bring the trusted content of the The Merck Manuals to the iPhone and iPod touch. “For over 100 years, healthcare professionals have relied on The Merck Manual for essential information on diagnosing and treating medical disorders,” said Robert S. Porter, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The Merck Manuals. “These two iPhone applications now provide the trusted information in a form that is even more valuable for consumers and healthcare professionals on the go.”

The Home Edition app for consumers puts the trusted medical reference at the user’s fingertips, whenever and wherever it’s needed … while on the soccer field, a family vacation, a business trip abroad or getting ready to see a physician. An “Emergencies & Injuries” section that is accessible from the home screen was developed expressly for the application.

The Professional Edition app for healthcare professionals addresses thousands of diseases and treatments, features clinical approaches to each category of disorder, and provides specific guidance on patient evaluation. The app includes a ‘Find by Symptom’ section that is accessible from the home screen.

Agile Partners and The Merck Manuals
Agile Partners’ contributions to the The Merck Manuals actually began well before the development of the iPhone applications. In 2005, Agile helped Merck develop The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library which includes the Home Edition and Professional Edition. The online Home Edition won the 2005 Webby Award for Best Health Website and was a finalist in the prestigious Best Practices category. (The 2005 winner in the Best Practices category was a small, up-and-coming company named Google.)

We’re proud of our work on the online and iPhone versions of The Merck Manuals, and hope they continue to serve as valuable references for consumers and healthcare professionals alike. To learn more about both iPhone applications, visit the Merck Manuals page.