Medical Diagnostic Imaging Coming To A Home Near You?

Posted on | February 19, 2010 | Comments Off on Medical Diagnostic Imaging Coming To A Home Near You?

In 2006, I predicted that much of what currently occurs in the doctor’s office would eventually be done by devices in the home with data transmitted automatically and wirelessly to one’s care team. OK you say for blood work and vital signs, but never diagnostic imaging. Well as you can see below in a piece written by Brian Dolan, titled “Consumer ultrasound: Dangerous & irresponsible?” for MobiHealthNews, we’re farther along than most realize.

“Will patients ever use handheld ultrasound devices at home? Some sonographers believe that’s idiotic, moronic, dangerous, highly irresponsible, “right up there with in-utero glamor shots,” and “the worst idea I have heard of.”

The consumerization of medical devices, however, is a common vision for the wireless health industry. For example, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group recently predicted Bluetooth-enabled stethoscopes like 3M’s will be available for consumers to use at home in the coming years. 3M, however, said it had no such plans just yet.

Late last year GE Healthcare unveiled its ultra-mobile ultrasound device, Vscan, at a pricepoint of less than $8,000. A few months later the West Wireless Health Institute’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric Topol told attendees at the Consumer Electronics Show that in a few years patients would be using similar devices at home to scan their own heart ECHOs, which they would then send to their doctor. (CONTINUE …)