After a long testing phase, the smartphone-enabled ultrasound equipment is now on the market. The system gives technicians the ability to perform ultrasounds with a smartphone that contains a plug-in wand.
This medical news is certainly a welcome addition to the health community.
The new medical device received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last February, but it took eight long months for the manufacturer to execute the smartphone to the FDA’s specifications.
With the time delay between production and debut, the new ultrasound device is only able to work with the Toshiba Windows Mobile TG01 phone and technicians will need a USB 2.0 probe to access the port. Unfortunately, the new medical system isn’t compatible with new iPhones or Android phones.
Medical conferences have determined that the FDA, while working in the best interests of the public, must increase the speed in which they approve new medical devices. New technology is being developed at lightning speeds, especially in the field of mobile systems.
The FDA method for approving new medical devices and medications often takes several years, which increases expenses for manufacturers and developers. The FDA may have cost Mobisante, the company who created the new ultrasound technology, several hundred thousand dollars with their delay.
The FDA released guidelines determining the use of medical applications in July. Furthermore, the government department stated that the new technology turned smartphones into medical devices making them subject to regulation.
Clinics and hospitals have been utilizing new technology as a way to cut costs at a time when health care expenses are rising drastically. Also, new methods are an affordable and simple way for these institutions to provide patients with high-quality care. For example, the new smartphone device is an estimated $7,500 while a full size scanning machine can run over $100,000.
The FDA must work to increase the speed of their approval process for the benefit of health providers and patients.
