Eko’s stethoscope shows the potential of digital technology to reinvent health care
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
About 200 years ago a French physician rolled a sheet of paper into a cylinder and held it up to the chest of a patient. The creation was crude and simple, but it worked. Rene Laenneac could better hear his patient’s heartbeat, and the stethoscope was born.
Today, the stethoscope remains a fixture in medicine, draped around the shoulders of doctors. It’s also overdo for a makeover.
Now Eko Devices, a Silicon Valley start-up, has received FDA approval for its digital stethoscope, which brings the power of modern technology to an already essential device. The implications could be huge for patient care. It’s also a reminder of the enormous potential for modern technology to improve health care, which still relies on dated technology such as fax machines to play critical roles.
Source: The Washington Post (link opens in a new window)
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