Google's Android phone is headed for a mobile health dermatology pilot, which will shortly debut at federally funded clinics in U.S. cities.
ClickDiagnostics, a developer of mobile health solutions, has been testing smart phones equipped with the Android software stack. Those phones are likely to play a key role in the dermatology pilot. The project, which will operate in clinics in 8 to 10 cities, aims to address the shortage of dermatologists.
Don Yansen, chief operating officer and co-founder of ClickDiagnostics, said the average waiting time for a dermatologist is three to six months. The government's free clinics may have the occasional dermatologist volunteer but generally lack such specialists.
The pilot, however, aims to create a diagnostic loop that links-in a remote dermatologist. The approach revolves around a smart phone: a nurse will use a questionnaire app on a phone to interview the patient and take notes. Photos of the skin condition may be taken using the phone's camera. Notes and photos are then uploaded to the pilot's Web site. A remote dermatologist will then receive e-mail notification that a case is ready, log into the Web site, review the case, and send a diagnosis and treatment plan back to the phone.
"A picture and a few questions answered around the condition is generally good enough to get that diagnosis," Yansen said.
While ClickDiagnostics has been using Java2ME on international projects, Android fits the bill domestically and may be used on future overseas pilots. Yansen said the company prefers to have phones with 5 megapixel cameras, good optics, and a very sharp close-up autofocus.
He noted that a couple of Android phones meet those criteria. Beyond phone quality, Yansen cited cost as a factor. He believes the price of Android phones will drop over time. He also cited Android as a platform for software development. "It's very easy to write applications," he said, adding that it is also simple to hook up point-of-care instruments via Bluetooth.
