At the MTA 2010 Convention, we reported on a Bluetooth enabled stethoscope. This sort of peripheral could be very useful for rural telemedicine applications and would be a natural fit for devices such as tablet computers and smart phones. The two-way nature of it, allows prompting for the health care provider and the digitization of the signal allows for analysis at the local level, as well as transmission to a remote site where specialists or more highly trained individuals might be. Click here to watch the video and read the rest of this article.
Interestingly, this is an example of the type of device that has the potential to flatten the delivery of health care. We are already seeing the flattening of health care in the form of medical vacations to lower cost areas. With this sort of remote telemetry, it would be possible to outsource routine doctor’s visits. Couple this, with the advancement in robotic surgery, and the entire medical establishment could be in for some major creative destruction. It will be interesting to see how the recently signed health care bill(s) helps or hinders this natural progression.
On a lighter note, it will be ironic if someday Bluetooth helps a dentist remotely fix my Yellowtooth.
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