The Eko Core digital stethoscope that we covered earlier this spring has received FDA approval. This is a significant upgrade to one of the oldest and most familiar pieces of medical equipment. The device fits onto any standard analog stethoscope, which can still be used in the traditional manner. A press of the button, however, will amplify the sound and wirelessly stream the data to a smartphone, tablet or other device using a Bluetooth connection.
The system can filter out ambient noise. The apps make it easy to visualize the sounds, and the information can be synced to a patient’s electronic health record (EHR), saving time for healthcare professionals and making it easier to share the data with others. The app is designed to be HIPAA-compliant, keeping the patient’s data secure.
The Eko Core will be deployed to the internal medicine residents at the Stanford University Department of Medicine as part of an ongoing pilot program. The company is also working on software that will automatically analyze heart beat information against a database of records, and match the results to provide a diagnosis. This is still under development, and is expected to undergo FDA review and field trials before it will be incorporated in the Eko Core app.
