ECGRef – ECG And Arrhythmia Reference
ECGRef started the same way most of my projects do: wanting to create a clinically relevant reference on a topic I deal with as a cardiac anesthesiologist and CVICU intensivist. The goal was to create a library of electrocardiograms (ECGs),…
VentRef – Incorporating Manufacturer Technical Specs For Vents
For version 1.2 of VentRef, I looked up the technical specifications and data sheets for many popular ventilators to include in the app. At the bottom of each ventilator’s details, there’s a link to the manufacturer’s website, but I tried…
Looking Back At 2025
2025 was a memorable year. In addition to EchoRef (previously EchoTools), I added four new applications – CoagRef, EBMRef, LabRef, and VentRef. What started as side projects slowly became a cohesive ecosystem of apps that I now use daily at…
VentRef – Why Did It Take So Long?
As a cardiac anesthesiologist and cardiovascular ICU intensivist, I transition patients between oxygen therapies and mechanical ventilation in both the operating room and critical care settings. I work with my respiratory therapy and nursing colleagues to manage noninvasive and invasive…
RK.MD Local Anesthetic Toxicity Calculator
Apple rejected my inclusion of a local anesthetic toxicity calculator in CoagRef (not to mention my entire PharmaRef app) because of the content’s nature (they cited the requirements of guideline 5.1.1(ix)). After exchanging messages, it became clear this was not…
Smart App Banners
If you’ve ever visited a website and seen a thin banner at the top along the lines of “Open” or a download icon for an app, you’ve likely encountered an iOS Smart App Banner. As a web developer, implementing this…
Automating App Store Ratings Count With WordPress Shortcodes
I wanted my app pages to display the latest App Store rating counts without having to update them every week manually. The solution was to build a simple WordPress shortcode that fetches live data from Apple’s iTunes Search API. Kudos…
iOS 26 Released
Apple officially released iOS 26 today. I’ve been using the developer beta for weeks and was eager for the general consumer base to update to the latest framework. Unfortunately, I’ve spent the last few days sitting in the App Store…
EchoRef’s Rewrite – StoryboardUI To SwiftUI
EchoTools (now EchoRef) was the first iOS app I ever coded, and it was very much a product of trial and error, with countless hours spent on forums like Stack Overflow and Reddit, and learning as I went. It initially…
Rebranding To “-Ref” (Reference)
EchoTools has been my labor of love since my fellowship days in Boston. For years, I was bothered by the fact that, despite the word “Tools” in its name, the app didn’t accurately describe what it provided. Over time, I’ve…