If there’s one device that’s recently become a symbol for the promise — and potential pitfalls — of mobile health, it’s AliveCor Heart Monitor, formerly known as the AliveCor iPhone ECG, which received FDA clearance for prescription use in December. Dr. Dave Albert, AliveCor’s chief medical officer, outlined some next moves for the company recently in response to an online conversation about the device.
The AliveCor Heart Monitor has a lot of potential for detecting and gathering data on asymptomatic arrhythmias, which is difficult to do in a clinical setting. But how does a prescribable home-use device fit into a physician’s workflow? What are a doctor’s responsibilities and liabilities?
Dr. Westby Fisher, an internist and cardiologist who blogs under the name “Dr. Wes,” wrote a must-read post last week elucidating some of these questions in the context of the AliveCor device. The post spurred a flurry of comments, comprising a microcosm of the ongoing digital health debate about mobile health, patient rights, and doctor availability.
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