Elsevier and Legacy Interactive(R) Partner to Launch iPhone App for Medical Students, Residents and Faculty

PHILADELPHIA, July 8, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

- Top Doc App Offers Interactive Medical Quizzes, Real World Applications

Elsevier, a world leader in health care, medical publishing and online solutions, and video game developer and publisher Legacy Interactive(R), announced today the release of Top Doc, an iPhone app that features medical content and quizzes designed to let medical students, residents and junior faculty practice and improve their visual diagnosis skills. Elsevier and Legacy Interactive(R) developed the app's interactive format to engage and challenge users with multiple elements.

"Top Doc was built upon a foundation of providing challenging, real-world questions illustrated by high quality medical images," said Amber Tully, M.D., Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and the product's co-author. "With this platform, users are able to experience and react to realistic patient encounters that require quick, concise clinical responses."

"We want users to feel as though they are facing and dealing with relevant scenarios within a virtual medical clinic," added James Studdiford, M.D., FACP, Associate Professor Department of Family and Community Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, and the product's lead author.

Top Doc combines in-depth content with quizzes composed of more than 600 questions and answers developed for levels ranging from novice to expert. Users play against a timer as they try to determine the correct diagnosis by viewing actual photographs depicting a condition or abnormality on the body. At the conclusion of each round, players' performances are evaluated and given a grade which they can automatically post to their Facebook account. For players preferring to study the material in a non-competitive manner, Top Doc's review mode provides the information in a flashcard format.

"As medicine continues to move into the digital space, products like Top Doc will be excellent resources for medical education," said Randy Charles, Managing Director, Global Clinical Reference for Elsevier. "By offering the program as an iPhone app, Top Doc provides mobile access to medical students and practitioners who value on-the-go learning opportunities and high quality technology capabilities."

Top Doc is now available for purchase in the iTunes App store, and retails for $14.99. Go to http://www.topdocgame.com for more information and an online demo.

"What an effective and enjoyable way to test, refresh, and increase my knowledge!" said reviewer Navdeep Chehl, a fourth-year medical student at Jefferson Medical College. "The program provides clear, vivid images and a very user-friendly format. The review mode is a useful feature, as well."

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet (http://www.thelancet.com) and Cell (http://www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com), Scopus (http://www.scopus.com), Reaxys (http://www.reaxys.com), MD Consult (http://www.mdconsult.com) and Nursing Consult (http://www.nursingconsult.com), which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite (http://www.scival.com) and MEDai's Pinpoint Review (http://www.medai.com), which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier ( http://www.elsevier.com) employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC (http://www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

About Legacy Interactive(R)

Legacy Interactive(R) is a seasoned developer of innovative simulations and games on all major interactive platforms. Entertaining and educating customers since 1998, the company has built a reputation for developing intelligent, realistic and high quality games for a broad audience. Located in Los Angeles, Legacy has introduced entirely new interactive genres such as TV drama games and medical and vet simulations, and in the process created best-selling games such as Law & Order, Pet Pals: Animal Doctor and Emergency Room. Legacy's games and simulations are distributed worldwide, online and retail, in more than 15 languages and on its game portal, http://www.legacygames.com.

    Media Contact

    Legacy Interactive(R) Media Contact:
    Lisa Haasbroek
    +1-(213)-895-7600
    [email protected]

SOURCE Elsevier