Israeli Startup PulseNmore Launches World’s First Home Use Handheld Ultrasound Device
Women can now give themselves ultrasounds thanks to PulseNmore, an Israeli startup. Talk about home convenience! Once this new technology becomes as easy to use and as cheap as adding an app to your smart phone, women everywhere will be able to save time and money. Insurance companies are leading the pack of those rejoicing at the thought of all the money saved from the extra health care costs.
PulseNmore has announced the launch of its handheld tele-ultrasound device that enables pregnant women to perform at-home ultrasound scans, and receive feedback from a physician or sonographer. This is being done in cooperation with Israel’s largest health care organization Clalit which provides health plans to more than 4 million Israelis. Clalit signed a multiyear agreement to provide the devices to thousands of women.
Founded in 2015, PulseNmore is based in Omer, Israel.
So here’s the deal. You are a pregnant woman with a lot to do. You are also in the later months of pregnancy and it’s harder to get around so you need someone to take you to the hospital for your checkup. You don’t have the time or the money for cabs and your health plane has limited you to only a few paid ultrasounds, or worse, you have no health insurance.
So what do you do? You take out your PulseNmore device and give yourself an ultrasound. And then you send the results to your doctor who gives you an assessment. And you don’t even have to own it. You can just rent or borrow one.
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And considering all of the problems with the Corona Virus, the fewer trips to a hospital the better. Especially if you are pregnant.
The PulseNmore device works by connecting with a user’s smartphone. It employs advanced navigation and AI tools with an app to guide users through the scanning process, displaying and sharing high quality images with their healthcare professional. Physicians or sonographers can then review the scans later on or observe the patient as she uses the device from their offices. Then they can instruct them on appropriate next steps, if necessary.
It’s like having Dr. McCoy’s tricorder.
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“At home tele-ultrasound scanning is a major leap forward in digital medicine and prenatal health,” said Dr. Elazar Sonnenschein, Founder and CEO of PulseNmore. “We have successfully miniaturized the traditional ultrasound system to create a solution that is both affordable and accessible for expectant families. According to Clalit, pregnant women pay “false” visits to the emergency room more than twice on average with concerns about their baby’s well-being. Our solution provides vital information to healthcare providers to determine if a baby is healthy, helping expectant mothers have peace of mind at home and avoid unnecessary visits to the ER.”
Professor Arnon Wiznitzer, Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Rabin Medical Center, will oversee the new service. He added, “Mobile medical devices enable digital information sharing with healthcare professionals for clinical consultation, follow-up, and documentation. Using these devices offers advantages in patient care and involvement, with possible benefits for clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness. Amid the COVID-19 challenges, clinicians are proposing alternative designs for prenatal care that mobilize telemedicine to allow for virtual visits as opposed to only in-person consultations.”
