When first responders and other emergency personnel arrive at the scene of a medical emergency, they have to make quick decisions about how to treat an injured or ill patient. All too often, they must make these judgments based on relatively limited information because they do not have access to all the diagnostic tools available in a typical hospital emergency room. That is changing, however.
One new tool for medical staff in the field is a handheld wireless ultrasound scanner from Clarius Mobile Health. The system uses a standard smartphone or tablet for its display, and the app makes it very easy to use. You select the body part of interest using the app, and it will automatically set the correct gain and frequency settings. You can zoom or freeze the image. Images can be saved to a secure cloud service, which lets you share them with doctors and other healthcare professionals. The system can be used to diagnose broken bones, internal bleeding, and heart problems. The waterproof scanner has a rechargeable battery that can also be swapped out quickly for a spare if its power is running low.
Tools like this can give first responders and medical professionals working in the field valuable information that can make the difference in saving a patient’s life. It can also be a helpful tool for doctors so that they can get imaging information right in their own offices. The additional information can lead to faster and more accurate diagnoses, for more effective treatment and better outcomes.
