UpToDate: a comprehensive clinical database.

s into WordPad, or (from the Web version) e-mail a monograph to a colleague with an optional, complimentary 7-day guest pass to UpToDate Online. Graphics can be exported into Windows Paint. CME tracking. UpToDate keeps track of a user’s “CME time,” crediting up to 10 minutes (in hundredths of an hour increments) per topic per use of UpToDate. CME from the CD is unlimited; up to 50 hours may be accumulated online. Credits may be totalled for submission for a fee of $25 per transmittal. ■ ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Some of UpToDate’s advice is open to question. Although information is generally wellreferenced, a few statements should have been referenced but were not. For example (in reference to bacterial conjunctivitis): “Aminoglycoside drops and ointments (Genoptic, Tobrex) are poor choices since they are toxic to the corneal epithelium and can cause a reactive keratoconjunctivitis after several days of use.” UpToDate prominently advises that the Pediatric module is a work in progress. In searching for “delayed menarche,” the closest match we found was “Pubertal changes (Tanner stages).” Information was sufficient to answer most clinical questions. However, UpToDate did not provide a clinically useful graphic listing sentinel events (Tanner stages, peak height velocity, menarche) in typical chronological order with anticipated normal age ranges. Digital design problems UpToDate fails to take full advantage of the electronic environment. Inexplicably, in the