Imagine living in a remote area inaccessible by major transportation? How would you receive proper medical care? What would you do in a medical emergency?
This is the reality for millions of people who inhabit remote areas of the world. Thankfully, technological advancements–like mobile wireless ultrasound– are helping rural healthcare professionals increase the accessibility and quality of medical care in remote regions.
As shown in the video below, a group of doctors recently traveled to a remote village in Colombia where they tried Clarius, a handheld wireless ultrasound scanner, for the first time. By leveraging the technology of Clarius, the doctors were able to examine expectant women and infants less than a year old in a program called Safe Maternity and Childhood. The technology was a lifesaver in the far away indigenous community of Yopal, that often requires two days of traveling from the capital of Casanare. Without Doppler or other tools typically used, Clarius was also used as the sole resource during childbirth.
Portability and lack of wires were enormous advantages for the rural physicians. Unlike traditional ultrasound scanners, Clarius does not depend on electrical wires–which is critical in areas where electricity is rare. Having the accessibility of mobile ultrasound also helps the rural medical professionals assess the severity of specific injuries, to help classify whether a patient needs to be transferred to another facility. Once connected to the Internet, images can be easily sent and shared with others.
The rural doctors were also impressed by the quality of the device, as they found it to be superior than previous portable devices they have tried. They intend on continuing their use of Clarius for additional purposes, including chest and abdomen scans.
Clarius is helping these physicians increase the quality of care for the people in the region of Casanare, and other remote corners of the world.
Watch the video to see Clarius in action in a remote Village in Columbia. Note that the video is in Spanish.
