1. The second healthcare clinical tool that I hope to see in the United States within the next five years would be the Butterfly IQ. This device is a small ultrasound device that connects to a smart phone, and will display clear black and white pictures to the phone. This device has been FDA cleared for pediatrics, fetal, abdominal, gynecological, cardiac, and urological cases. This device will help improve patient care by making ultrasound technology available for all patients, even If they are in a rural area. Per Jonathan Rothberg, founder and chairman of Butterfly IQ, “"Two-thirds of the world's population has no access to medical imaging. That's not ok, and today our team is doing something about it." This product will definitely help the United States to achieve Triple AIM, as this convenient tool will help improve patient care and detect health problems quickly and cost efficiently. Legislation has already begun helping protect and promote similar health technology tools. The MEDITECH Act and SOFTWARE Act, are just a couple of Acts passed by Legislation to help push through healthcare technology to improve patient care and achieve Triple AIM.
1.1. How this product works: The Butterfly IQ is a small ultrasound device (about the size of an electric razor) with a single probe. The product comes with a program that must be downloaded into the approved smart devices. The device hooks into any compatible smart phone, and will display the pictures onto the smart phone. “Inside this “capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer” (CMUT), an applied voltage moves a membrane to send ultrasonic waves into the body. The waves that bounce back from various body tissues move the membrane and are registered as an electric signal, which creates the image” (Strickland, E., 2017). Benefits: * The cost of this product is around 2,000 dollars, which is significantly decreased compared to the current 10-20 thousand dollars from the standard ultrasound machines. * The product is small and easy to use. * This product is convenient, and can be taken and used anywhere, improving patient care and satisfaction. * This product transmits the results into a HIPAA complaint cloud storage.
2. Technology Tool 1: Cardiopad
2.1. The first healthcare clinical tool that I hope to see in the United States within the next five years is the Cardiopad. This device was invented by Arthur Zang in Cameroon. The Cardiopad is a “touch screen medical tablet that enables heart examinations such as the electrocardiogram (ECG) to be performed at remote, rural locations while the results of the test are transferred wirelessly to specialists who can interpret them” (Nsehe,M., 2012). I can see this product helping the United States to achieve Triple Aim, as it would improve patient satisfaction, cut costs by eliminating frequent travel and specialist visit, and improve population health by enabling patients to follow through with Cardiology visits and plan of care. The product would be able to connect rural patients and or patients that have significant health ailments that make traveling dangerous. This product will also help increase access to care, as the results, examination, and even diagnosis would all be done virtually. In some areas patient’s must wait months to see their Cardiologist, leading to further complications and in some cases, even death.
2.1.1. How this product works: “the tablet is used as a classical electrocardiograph device: electrodes are placed on the patient and connected to a module that, in turn, connects to the tablet. When a medical examination is performed on a patient in a remote village, for example, the results are transmitted from the nurse's tablet to that of the doctor who then interprets them (Zang, A., 2012).” This device also contains up to date medical software built in, that enables providers to give computer assisted diagnosis and care plans. Benefits: * The product is convenient and easy to use. * This product would decrease costly travel and unnecessary appointments. * increase timely and effective care by using virtual technology, rather than waiting for appointments to open. * Patient satisfaction would increase due to quicker more convenient virtual care * This product would decrease mortality rates, as the patient would be seen by the specialist quicker, and would not need to endure lengthy possibly dangerous travel.
3. REFERENCES
4. Technology Tool 2: Butterfly IQ
5. Technology Tool 3: Reflexion Edge
5.1. The third technology tool that I would like to see the United States use within the next five years to help achieve Triple Aim would be the Reflexion Edge. This would be a clinical tool that would help detect concussions on the spot. The Reflexion Edge is “designed to measure an athlete's neurocognitive and psychomotor status in about 30 seconds. This on-the-spot measurement is intended to give an up-to-the minute assessment of a player's ability to return to play or be sidelined to prevent further injury” (Powell, J., 2016). Currently in the United States concussions account for 47% of sport related injuries per the American Academy of Pediatrics. While CT scans and MRI’s can be helpful at detecting concussions, they are not always completely accurate and cannot detect the concussion right away, especially if the concussion is mild. This health tool can be used by any trained medical professional and is portable, so it can be used at any location. This tool will help improve patient satisfaction by enabling the patient to have quick scanning, and treatment if necessary. The healthcare costs would be reduced by expedited diagnosis and treatment, preventing further complications to the patient. Lastly mortality would be decreased by allowing the patient to have on the site scanning for head injuries.
5.1.1. How this product works: The product weighs around 20 pounds, fits into a duffle bag and can be easily assembled for portability. It has a large custom designed touchscreen with more than 2,500 sensors and a full color LED array that fills a user’s horizontal field of view. The athlete stands in front of the device and interacts with targets on the screen which records reaction times. “The data is collected from correlated functions including complex and simple reaction time, peripheral awareness, depth perception, memory and psychomotor response.” (Powell, J., 2016). Benefits: * The product allows for instant scanning for concussions, allowing for immediate care if needed * The device detects even mild concussions, that CT scans may miss. * The device is portable and easy to use, allowing the patient to be scanned at any location * Patients will receive more convenient and prompt care, which will improve health and prevent unnecessary complications