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February 2, 2012
by Katie Matlack
Katie Matlack is the Medical Software Analyst at Software Advice, a free online resource.
The iPhone and iPad are changing the world of medical devices as we know it. Thanks to their familiar interface, Web connectivity, and powerful processing capabilities, with the right app and plug-in these iOS devices can work as super smart medical devices that make sharing as easy as the push of a touchscreen button.
Your patients can now access increasingly high-quality medical devices, making it easy to be more actively engaged in their own health and provide you with information needed for better patient care. And home and rural caregivers can benefit from the portability and versatility of iPad and iPhone based devices. Below I’ll discuss three examples of powerful iOS medical devices I’ve found that already exist.
1) The Withings Blood Pressure Monitor
 French company Withings developed this blood pressure monitor that features an app and a cuff that fits most average-sized people. Accurate data on blood pressure can help patients monitor hypertension, reducing the risk of serious consequences to their heart, brain and kidney. The Withings monitor can even work with an iPod Touch, and runs at $129. Patients can use the device to share their data with you.
2) ECEM Pulse Oximeter
 This device isn’t yet available to the masses, but given its utility, I imagine it will be soon. It features a small clip that attaches to your fingertip. The clip beams a light through your fingertip to a receiver on the opposite side; the amount of light received is used to determine how much oxygen is saturated in your blood. Developed by the Electrical and Computer Engineering in Medicine research group together with the Pediatric Anesthesia Research Team at the University of British Columbia, it was originally created to help make anesthesia care safer in the developing world, but can also be useful to patients with heart or lung problems such as emphysema.
3) iBGStar Glucose Meter
 From Sanofi-Aventis comes this glucose meter app and plug-in. The glucose meter is a well-known device to anyone with diabetes. Today, diabetics test blood sugar with needles and a clunky kit; the iBGStar offers a small add-on to the iPhone that’s said to give better, more accurate results. Plus, getting data on the iPhone means it can be shared easily with medical personnel, and patients can also get reminders on their iPhone when it’s time for another check.
For more discussion of the benefits of these iPhone and iPad based devices, plus commentary on two more devices not discussed here and commentary from an expert on medical devices, visit the Software Advice blog for the original article.
January 30, 2012
 App developers and education and informatics researchers from the University of Edinburgh have collaborated on a new iPad game called FindMe — the first-ever attempt to fuse autism research with iPad gaming. The app could help improve social skills in autistic children as young as 18 months.
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January 27, 2012
 The successful transplantation of tissue-engineered synthetic organs could open new and promising therapeutic possibilities for patients who suffer from tracheal cancer or other conditions that destroy, block, or constrict the airway. Look for “An Exciting Time for Regenerative Medicine” in our upcoming online issue next week when Physician’s Weekly interviews Robert E. Ratner, MD, as he describes a successful synthetic tissue-engineered trachea transplant he and his colleagues performed.
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 The movement toward screening for diabetes in people withouts symptoms has become increasingly important because of the growing number of cases of undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes. Look for “Testing for Diabetes in Asymptomatic Patients” in our upcoming online issue next week when Physician’s Weekly interviews Robert E. Ratner, MD.
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January 26, 2012
 Needle pricks may be a glucose test of the past as people with diabetes may soon be able to use their saliva to test their glucose, according to a new paper published in Nano Letters. This is a major achievement considering that glucose concentrations in saliva are 100 times lower than those in blood.
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January 20, 2012
 Proposed changes to the definition of autism, currently under review by an expert panel appointed by the American Psychiatric Association, are expected to significantly reduce the soaring rate of autism diagnoses. The panel is completing work on the 5th edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or “The DSM.”
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January 18, 2012
 The overuse of some screening and diagnostic tests that fail to provide high-value, cost-conscious care plays an important role in the rising healthcare costs in the United States. Now more than ever, there is a push to recognize that more care is not necessarily better care.
In this month’s issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, an ad hoc group of internists convened by the American College of Physicians (ACP) has identified a series of common clinical situations in which the use of screening and diagnostic tests does not reflect high-value care.
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January 16, 2012
 U.S. physicians are not nearly as sold on the benefits of healthcare IT as are their international counterparts, according to an Accenture survey of more than 3,700 doctors across eight countries.
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January 13, 2012
 While inexperience is an obvious disadvantage in surgery, being in the profession for decades is also one — apparently. A small study on the influence of performance of surgeons published in BMJ finds that mid-career surgeons in their late 30s and 40s with 5 to 20 years of experience are the “safest.”
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January 6, 2012
 The focus on TBIs among high school, college, and professional athletes has brought attention to new research showing the residual effects that remain in some patients with mild TBI. A new clinical guideline on caring for patients with mild TBI promotes evidence-based practices across the continuum of care.
Look for “Caring for Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries” in our upcoming online issue next week when Physician’s Weekly interviews Therese West, RN, CPN, MSN, APN-C.
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