The iconic stethoscope we've become accustomed to draping around our necks may someday be replaced by smartphones and a new portable device, called HeartBuds, according to a recent clinical trial conducted at Orlando Health.
"They not only detect sounds inside the body just as well - or better - than traditional stethoscopes, but they are more sanitary,"
said David Bello, MD, department chief of cardiology at Orlando Health, and developer of HeartBuds. "And because they incorporate smartphone technology, we can now record, store and share those sounds as well. This could change the way we approach patient exams in the future."
With HeartBuds, doctors use a small, portable plastic listening device shaped much like the head of a traditional stethoscope. Instead of being attached to a Y-shaped tube that feeds into the doctor's ears, however, this device is plugged into a smartphone.
When the app is activated, sounds from the hand-held device can be played through the smartphone speaker and images appear on the screen showing rhythmic blips that correspond with each sound. Until now, only those wearing the stethoscope could hear what was taking place inside the body, but with this technology health care providers can control the volume, listen to and discuss sounds with patients in real time, and record various sounds for future reference.
"The technology is great, but we wanted to see how our device actually fared against more traditional stethoscopes,"
said Julio Schwarz, a cardiologist at University of Florida Health who co-authored a recent clinical trial conducted at Orlando Health. "So we put them to the test."
The findings of the study, comparing the effectiveness of HeartBuds to three other stethoscope models, were presented in November at The American Heart Association's 2015 Scientific Sessions held in Orlando, Florida.
In all, doctors examined 50 patients and compared the performance of HeartBuds to two FDA-approved class I and class II stethoscopes, as well as a commonly used disposable model.
Results of the study showed that the HeartBuds smartphone-based device performed just as well as the more expensive and more commonly used class I and class II stethoscopes in detecting heart murmurs and carotid bruits, which are sounds in the neck that indicate moderate to severe blockage of the carotid artery.
Beyond patient exams, HeartBuds is proving to have other applications as well. "I'm involved in training many medical students and residents," said Schwarz. "Being able to listen to sounds with them, in real time, provides me with an invaluable teaching tool."
They can also be used at home.
Athletes use HeartBuds to track their condition and performance, and pregnant women have recorded sounds of their babies from inside the womb and shared them with friends and family all over the world.
"Though trained health care providers are the only ones who can use HeartBuds as a diagnostic tool, they do have many other uses," said Bello. Patients with chronic illnesses like COPD and heart failure, for example, can use them to monitor their conditions at home. "They can take a recording of their heart and lungs at home, upload them and send them to their doctor, who can evaluate them without the patient ever leaving home if it's not necessary," said Bello. "Really, the possibilities are endless and the future of this technology is just now coming into view."
The real question is what do YOU think? Ready to swap out your stethoscope for an iPhone app and portable device? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Seems like a multi use tool. More studies obviously needed for diagnostic use but sounds promising to be able to not only train others but record and upload.
Absolutely would love to try them. Is a neonatal program in place yet?
Sign me up. I would love to try it out. As long as you clean it between patients you wouldn’t have a problem with sharing bacteria. Same as our stethoscopes.
Perhaps this is a good adjunct to a thorough physical exam but it will not detect a thrill (hands on) or other diagnostic signs found on palpation. The less hands-on we are and reliant on technology the more helpless we all are in disasters and power failures. How do you charge that phone when you’re in generators? Hmmmn?
Would each pt have their own? If not, one would/should worry about sharing bacteria among patients.
I am ready to purchase one ASAP. Kindly advise how to locate and purchase.
That is amazing!!! I want one as do my fellow nurses. Are they out yet???? How much???? where to buy?????
KINDLY PROVIDE WHERE CAN BUY.
Great article just need info on where to get one!
i’m concerned about anxious patients and family members hearing something different then what TV thought them and starting to freak out. It should come with the possibility to use earbuds.
Love this concept. A means to check heart and lung sounds as well as Doppler pulses is all about being efficient and accurate. Bring it!
We already use a Doppler to hear a baby’s heart beat, why not a smart phone to listen to an record everything.
I love technology and being on the cutting edge! I think any tool that can replace the chance for human error is a blessing! Count me in!!
Awesome! I would retire my stethoscope in a heartbeat if they are comparable in sound quality. Applications for education are infinite. Now if you could record a rhythm strip at the same time, it may lead to quicker diagnosis, decrease admission rates, and serve those in remote areas or unfortunate circumstances.
I’m sold. Where/when can I purchase one???
It sounds to me like Heartbuds could be very useful in Telehealth. I’d love to try it out!
Sounds like a great tool with many possiblities. Would love to use it, but, also, use stethoscope. I can see this would be a great tool to send recordings to physicians when there are concerns at home or out in the field. Fantastic…love technology that helps us all!
Being that I wear bi-later hearing aides this sounds like a fabulous idea. I now have to take them out to listen. I have top of line stethoscope so that I am able to hear but this would be awesome
I think this would be a valuable tool. I have tinnitus and find using a regular stethoscope difficult in hearing accurately and clearly. Heartburn would also involve more patient / family interaction/involvement in their care if they had this audio visual aide as a valuable guide.
It’s all well and good however places like prisons and jails will never allow this technology in. They are so paranoid about anything that might allow outside communication the DOC can’t monitor that improvements and such are limited unfortunately. We even have to get permission to bring our own stethescopes to work instead of using the POS ones they provide and can’t hear anything on not to mention unsanitary as heck.
I would certainly give HeartBuds a try….of course I would use it on myself (I have CAD, and aortic stenosis) and am a registered nurse primary areas of expertise critical care, cath lab, cardiac observation.
No I will not abandon my stethoscope because my ears are still good and I can take that skill with me anywhere. That being said I love this device and think that it should be used as widely as possible but not a 100% replacement. Just a supplemental tool for recording or double checking, same goes for BP machines.
I think it’s worth giving it a try. The stethoscope is unable to do what Heartbuds are capable of doing.