Zeriscope mobile telemedicine system receives US patent
Key components of Zeriscope, a comprehensive mobile telemedicine examination system, received a United States patent Nov. 14.
Robert J. Adams, M.D., developed the concepts behind Zeriscope as part of his work at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He received assistance in securing Zeriscope's patent from the MUSC Foundation for Research Development (FRD). The company also received financial assistance from the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) SC Launch program and the South Carolina Smart State Centers of Excellence program.
A distinguished professor of neurology at MUSC, and the director of the Stroke Smart State Center of Economic Excellence, Adams initiated in 2008 the REACH MUSC Telestroke Network, which eventually linked patients at more than 20 emergency departments across the state to MUSC's stroke experts in Charleston.
He has advanced his work with the development of Zeriscope, which provides an easy-to-use, extremely portable and cost-effective system that allows for infinite telemedicine possibilities. "We are taking telemedicine 'the last mile' by uniquely connecting medical experts to patients wherever they are," Adams said. "That might be in the patient's home, a skilled nursing facility, an emergency scene or anywhere else we can reach patients."
Zeriscope allows a physician to conduct a comprehensive, real-time examination of a patient in a separate location. The physician receives audio and video from the point-of-view of a telepresenter - such as a nurse, paramedic or caregiver - along with patient physiological information collected with components contained in the Zeriscope examination kit.
The compact kits are highly customizable to meet specific uses and fit neatly into a lightweight bag. Components available in the Zeriscope kit include a hands-free camera mounted on the wearer's head, other specialty cameras, patient-wearable physiological sensors, stethoscope, streaming electrocardiogram, pulse oximeter and other tools to collect data from the patient and the environment.
"The Zeriscope system was designed and developed from the ground up to be very simple to use and extremely portable, working as well on a celluar network in a mobile setting as in a facility on a Wi-Fi network," Zeriscope CEO Bill Harley explained.
Zeriscope allows for the delivery of quality care in a lower-cost setting and can be used in patient homes, emergency scenes, jails, schools, home health, hospice care, mental health evaluations, the armed forces and many other ways.
More information:
www.zeriscope.com/
Provided by Medical University of South Carolina
