Epocrates said Monday it supports the BlackBerry smartphone with its Epocrates Essentials software suite, which provides mobile diagnosis and treatment advice to healthcare pros.

The BlackBerry is a fast-growing platform for Epocrates users, with more than 20% growth among U.S. physicians in the past quarter, the company said. The free Epocrates Rx drug reference came out on the BlackBerry two years ago.

Epocrates Essentials provides free drug prescribing and safety information; in-depth peer-reviewed articles developed in conjunction with the BMJ Group, publishers of the British Medical Journal; diagnostic and laboratory tests; information on over-the-counter drugs with drug interactions and herbal remedies; and an infectious diseases treatment guide.

The software also runs on Palm, Windows Mobile, iPhone, and iPod Touch devices.

The software is priced at $159 per year or $269 for two years.

Healthcare professionals are increasingly turning to apps that run on smartphones to provide on-the-go tools and information; advocates say smartphone apps increase productivity and face-time with patients. For example, the University of Louisville School of Medicine provides its 600 students with Epocrates.

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