Telemedicine via a mobile phone, backed up by a 24-hour health concierge service.
This is the guiding idea behind EPI Life, a smart mobile device by Singapore start-up Ephone International.
A world’s first according to the company, the EPI Life app allows you to get an ECG measurement simply by resting your finger against a sensor at the base of the phone.
Said Danny Kuek, general manager of the 20-man start-up: “You can do an ECG without having to stick yourself with anything.”
There is no need for gels or electrodes of any sort.
This ECG is then sent via mobile networks to a 24-hour healthcare facility, where a team of 30-odd doctors and nurses can read the results within minutes.
“This can range from a doctor calling you or an ambulance being sent,” said Kuek. In the case of medical emergencies – especially heart attack cases – every minute counts.