The medical industry is going through a revolution, with various companies introducing miniature health monitoring devices that can be plugged in to smartphones. These mobile machines help doctors analyse the conditions of patients with the data e-mailed to them and without a physical visit to the hospital. Joseph Flaherty from AgaMatrix, a company that manufactures a small glucose monitor compatible with a smartphone, says that the aim of the company was to make sure people had all the necessary tools within their reach. The device called iBGStar can be plugged into an iPhone to find out the blood sugar level of the user.
Another popular device in this segment is the heart monitor named AliveCor. All that user needs to do to get an EKG reading in just 30 seconds is to fix the device as a smartphone case and place their fingers on the sensors. AliveCor is available in the market for $199. The advantages of such instruments are aplenty. There are no complicated and messy wires, users need not visit the doctor unless necessary and doctors can get the reading in real time and not once the symptoms have abated or grown worse.
Another great example of healthcare via mobile devices is iExaminer, which makes use of the phone’s camera to photograph the inside of the eye. Some of these devices are suggested and sold by pharmacists and doctors whereas the rest like the diabetes monitor have made use of the Apple Store to reach out to customers. Physicians are in full support of these devices as it makes work easier and more accurate for them. They do not have to waste time on regular checkups when they get the required reports through email. An eminent cardiologist from San Diego, Eric Topol, was able to diagnose an irregular heartbeat while on a plane with the help of the miniature EKG.
The University of California, San Francisco, is planning to conduct an eHeart Study to analyse how such devices that use mobile technology help prevent cardio vascular diseases and is hoping to enrol 1 million people for it. These devices are particularly useful in developing countries which have shortage of medical equipments and a plenitude of smartphones. Countries like China and India with a vast population and limited access to healthcare stand to benefit vastly, as do developed countries with the need for ever faster access to healthcare.
