“In one of his recent presentations, Dr. Topol points to the iPhone’s growing importance and connection to the next wave of medical technology relating to the ‘Body Area Network,'” Purcher reports. “One of the key components of this new dimension in medical technology is that of the sensor strip, an invention that Apple gained a granted patent for only four months ago.”
Purcher writes, “This focused report takes a peek at Dr. Topol’s presentation in respect to Apple’s patent and at how other medical facilities are adopting the iPhone as a crucial tool for their Cardiologists and Neurosurgeons on the go. According to the leading Chief of Medicine at Toronto’s Mount Sinai hospital – ‘The iPhone is the Future of Health Care.’ With Apple’s newly granted patent now in place – that statement may very well prove true.”
Much, much more, including patent application info and illustrations, in the full article – recommended – here.
Stunned silence…………How, Oh! how do we react to this news? I hear the tech industry groan. We have only just fired up our photocopiers in readiness for the iPad and now we get blindsided by this salvo from the iPhone!!!!!
When will they learn to target where the puck will be and not where it is by dumping there photocopiers?
The next three steps:
1 iPhones capable of reading our thoughts.
2 iPhones become self aware
3 we all become mindless slaves controlled by the iPhone network.
and this is before the iPad!
I looked in to the future. Here’s one of tomorrow’s MDN line items:
“Leading anthropologists and evolution academics predict the iPad will be the next dominant species on the planet”.
Come on, Son. I wish this thing would release already and begin its rise to mediocrity.
My wife was premed about twenty years ago before going into computer science. She has some very good ideas about improving patient monitoring & record keeping in a hospital setting, but she will be absolutely blown away by this! It looks like a paradigm shift about to happen…
The iPad is sure to follow suit.
With Healthcare now the law of the land, does that mean steady government purchasing of Apple iPads and iPhones?
This will create huge efficiencies in Healthcare. The government will rely on those efficiencies to lower the deficit, so will hospitals and doctors. That should mean insurance companies will save money and reduce expenses, which should also mean they pass those saving along to the insured and lower premiums….
Somehow the last assumption seems prone to doubt…
The sensor strip will probably find it’s way into future versions of the iPad too.
The sensor strip will probably find it’s way into future versions of the iPad too.
Why future ? It can run iPhone apps out the gate, and they can make an iPad app with the current version?
Here’s the TED Talks video link:
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/tedtalks-eric-topol-the-wireless/id160892972?i=81086896
Before any of this happens, the security of the iPhone has to be upgraded to a level that may not ever happen. It is illegal (Federal Law) for any health care professional to either accidentally or intentionally provide access to private health care information on any patient. What if a physician loses his iPhone that has patient files on it? Well, the physician is subject to fines. And the patient can sue him. A four digit lock code doesn’t qualify as security.
Second, any medical app on the iPhone that either diagnoses or provides treatment options to a patient must undergo FDA review and approval. This is not an easy step, requiring time and money.
Can these be overcome? Yes, but MDN, in its usual “Apple is God” meme, fails to look beneath the hype.
And Eric Topol is an arrogant prick. This I know.
“What if a physician loses his iPhone that has patient files on it? “
Who says that files are on the iPhone. This is in the cloud. Encrypted data that requires the Doctor’s password to access. It is real time data reporting, not files.
Actually, much as MDN is ” “Apple is God”” it’s even more right wing extreme ( how does this happen?) so what does this have to do with : “fails to look beneath the hype”?
All the issues you bring up as obstacles are run of the milll everyday situations that are addressable and hardly hindering.
Back in the days of Apple’s infancy and even today there are hoards of self important wannabes that say Steve Jobs is an arrogant prick too…. Look at it as: He just has no tolerance for stupidity or redundancy…
Why do you think Eric Topol is an arrogant prick?
LeftCoastDude:
Actually, much as MDN is ” “Apple is God”” it’s even more right wing extreme ( how does this happen?) so what does this have to do with : “fails to look beneath the hype”?
All the issues you bring up as obstacles are run of the milll everyday situations that are addressable and hardly hindering.
Back in the days of Apple’s infancy and even today there are hoards of self important wannabes that say Steve Jobs is an arrogant prick too…. Look at it as: He just has no tolerance for stupidity or redundancy…
Why do you think Eric Topol is an arrogant prick?
@Spark. It doesn’t matter if the files are on the phone or in a cloud, password protection is necessary. But it’s more than just a simple password, it has to be virtually uncrackable. Most hospitals now change passwords every month to every six months. Do you know what most people do? A post-it note with the password somewhere on the desk.
@moderation. MDN constantly thinks that Apple does no wrong, and everything not Apple is headed for the dustbin of technology. I get tired of reading it. Apple TV, for example, is a cute toy, but it’s no TiVo. And of course, TiVo is no Apple TV. But I’m willing to look at both sides of the story.
Yes, the situations are addressable, but not easy. I can’t just write an App, put it on the iTunes Store, and wait for money to roll in. There are, in fact, some very good Apps for the iPhone that are wonderful. There is one that sends obstetrics data from a fetal monitor through the hospital network to an ob with an the iPhone app. It’s secure and encrypted. It’s FDA cleared. And it works.
As for Eric Topol, I’ve had to deal with him in Cardiology research. Arrogant prickiness can lead to great things, so I don’t mind, but it doesn’t mean I want to share a beer with either Dr. Topol or Steve Jobs.
LeftCoastDude:
I’m sure the feeling is probably mutual as to sharing a beer…which is of no substance other than piss.
Apple actually does very little wrong and when it does, it has no problem addressing those wrongs and even apologizing.
If you care to look at most great achievers and innovators in every field and throuought time, you’ll see that most of them are labeled arrogant…That’s just because they usually march to their own drummers because everyone else lags.
Listening and examining both sides is always a positive thing, I wonder what bee is up MDNs right wing fanaticism?
“I looked in to the future. Here’s one of tomorrow’s MDN line items”
MDN is always good for a laugh. I predict one of MDN’s headlines will be……
“Should Apple Buy Save-A-Lot??????” … the next day it will be “Should Apple Buy Brown & Root???”
MDN, a one man operation with real “intelligent” headlines
@moderation
Well, let’s just say at one time, Topol would be buying the beers. But you’re right, I expressed a personal opinion, just because I don’t like the guy for very specific reasons.
And I completely agree. Arrogance is necessary in building a business. I just don’t like it in medicine. Open-mindedness, but with a healthy dose of self-confidence, is necessary in cardiology. But in running Apple, without arrogance, we would be talking about our new BlackBerry here.
Finally, what’s up with this right wing stuff? I am hardly right wing.
LeftCoastDude:
Well you’re at least reasonably addressable and reasonably reasonable…
Arrogance may be in the eye of the beholder. Just because one’s perceived as arrogant doesn’t mean they are. Open mindedness, should always be a human condition regardless of arrogance.
The right wing stuff is not directed at you I was commenting on MDN’s profuse right wing diatribes and ranting as of late ( does not compute…)
@moderation,
If you don’t like MDN’s “right wing stuff” (which you exaggerate), then take your not-so-moderation and go somewhere else. Simple. The, those of us who enjoy MDN will enjoy it that much more without you. No one here cares about your politics.
Original Jake:
Fsuck you and the horse you rode in on. I ain’t your way or the highway you insecure hot headed fsucking inbred jerk. If you had any tolerance, open mind or comprehension whatsoever, you’d re – read what I said and “understand” that I just commented on it. I’ve been reading and feeding MDN since it’s inception – baby boy.
So go dig a hole and disappear into it so that the rest of the world can enjoy some civilized exchange.
Original Jake:
PS: Who the fsuck appointed you the voice of MDNs readers, or anyone else but your igno- rant self?
@Origina Jake – nor we yours or MDNs. That’s the point.
Origina Jake : Quite enjoyable feedback and opinions till you showed up – Speak for your self if you have one.