credit: UCLA
Microscope attachments for smart phones have been around for a few years now, but have mostly been a parlor trick accessory for tech geeks. Now, researchers at UCLA have developed an attachment that can detect nanoparticles as small as 90 to 100 nanometers. To compare, a strand of human hair is 100,000 nanometers thick.
At this resolution physicians and lab techs would be able to take a bedside sample and check to see if a patient has a viral or bacterial infection as well as numerous other possibilities. This could quickly accelerate our diagnostic capabilities and deserves some real attention. Nokia agrees and has invested in the UCLA project.
How to use a smartphone microscope in a medical setting
Hospital bedside use. By bringing the lab to the patient, we could quickly diagnose and treat patients. If a simple glance at a microscope can determine viral vs. bacteria, we’ll save time for the patient and won’t give out needless prescriptions for antibiotics.
Field use. Organizations like Floating Doctors who work in remote regions of Central America can take their labs with them, greatly increasing their efficiencies when working with indigenous populations.
Private practice. A routine medical checkup could include simple lab work, done at the patient’s side, so results can be discussed instantly with the patient. This would streamline day-to-day care and minimize wait times for patients.
Of course there is still plenty of lab work that can’t be done bedside even if this device were currently available. But just streamlining the bacteria vs. viral question would shorten diagnosis time for health care practitioners and improve patient care. Think of the reduction in workload on staff chasing down lab results and the unnecessary back and forth of samples which could get misplaced.
As a physician or health care practitioner, what do you think of bedside labs? Do you think this would streamline the process or introduce more issues? Would the shift in responsibilities cause more workload for your staff or less? If you’re an M.D. or D.O., we’ll be continuing this conversation inside Sermo as well. Join us.
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