As healthcare practices rush to integrate telemedicine in response to COVID-19, it’s natural to question whether remote examinations can truly replicate an in-person visit. StethoMe, the Poland-based maker of a smart, wireless, stethoscope, is working with existing telemedicine platforms to make effective remote lung examination a reality.
StethoMe allows adults and children to listen to their lungs at home. The device communicates with a smartphone app and employs cloud-based AI algorithms to detect, classify, and analyze pathological lung sounds. By integrating with telemedicine systems, StethoMe now provides patient-specific information to healthcare providers around the clock for rapid assessment of potential respiratory issues.
The evolving telehealth revolution also raises questions about the accuracy of at-home diagnostic devices compared with the knowledge of an experienced healthcare professional. That’s where cutting-edge AI comes in, harnessing machine learning to identify potential respiratory problems. Rigorous testing of StethoMe’s robust algorithms demonstrates that the system has 29% greater accuracy than human pulmonologists. The StethoMe device and algorithms have received full CE certification in the EU.
StethoMe supports — rather than replaces — provider knowledge and experience. It’s a powerful tool that helps remote providers decide whether to begin treatment, continue distance-monitoring, or recommend an in-person assessment when necessary. When it comes to COVID-19, the union between telemedicine and StethoMe could significantly reduce the spread of the disease, decrease unnecessary hospital visits, and lower provider risk.
StethoMe has officially partnered with telemedicine companies MaQuestionMedicale in France and HomeDoctor in Spain. Discussions are in the works with additional companies across Europe, while clinical studies are in progress in the USA. As StethoMe becomes widely available to patients and providers, the system may prove to be one of the most influential health tech innovations of the coronavirus pandemic.
