Startup launches
'first wearable health record' for Google Glass
By Christina Farr
SAN
FRANCISCO Thu Jun 12, 2014 6:05pm EDT Startup launches 'first wearable health record' for Google Glass
By Christina Farr
A
woman wears Google glasses after a media presentation of a Google apartment in
Prague May 15, 2014. (Reuters) - Google Inc's futuristic eyeglasses are
finding their way into hospitals and clinics throughout the United States.
To meet the growing
demand for Google Glass from physicians, Drchrono, a Mountain View, Calif.,
based electronic medical record company has developed a new application for the
device it claims is the first "wearable health record."
Doctors who
register for the Drchrono app for Glass can use it to record a consultation or
surgery with the patient's permission. Videos, photos and notes are stored in
the patient's electronic medical record or in Box, a cloud-based storage and
collaboration service and can be shared with the patient on request.
Dr. Bill J.
Metaxas, a podiatrist based in San Francisco, warned fellow physicians to take
precautions before using Glass, such as obtaining patient consent and
"locking down security settings." He also said Glass is no more or
less secure than tablet devices such as the iPad, which are routinely used in
clinical practices.
Metaxas, who uses
Glass in the operating room and in patient consultations, said 99 percent of
his patients agree to the gadget, but it is still early days and most of his
fellow physicians have yet to adopt the technology. It is primarily used by the
"bleeding edge" minority, he added.
Still, Box
spokeswoman and former Google Health employee Missy Krasner said she is aware
of at least 20 venture-backed startups catering to this niche of physicians.
The majority of these Glass apps, including Augmedix and Pristine, are
complying with federal regulation that protects privacy, known as HIPAA.
To develop the
service, Drchrono worked closely with Box, one of its early investors, and the
Google Glass team.
Google Glass was
intended for the consumer mass market, but it has been criticized by some for
its geeky appearance. But many industry professionals immediately saw value in
the hands-free gadget.
The Glass team hosted
an event last month at its San Francisco offices for care providers, hospitals
administrators and medical-tech entrepreneurs to discuss how to bring these
wearable computers into practices.
"Google is
still in the early-stages of determining the most viable use-cases for Google
Glass," said Drchrono co-founder Daniel Kivatinos. "But some doctors
are demanding Glass, so Google is providing resources and support to
developers."
Drchrono claims to
have 60,000 registered physicians using its electronic medical record for
doctors and patients. More than 300 of these physicians have already opted to
use the app, Kivatinos said. The app is currently available for free, but the
company may charge a fee in the near future.
Google could not be
reached for comment.
(Reporting By
Christina Farr. Editing by Andre Grenon)
