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Toronto-developed app gives patients a second, third or hundredth opinion

A group of medical students completing their practicum in the Solomon Islands were puzzled about patient ECG results they’d obtained. Unsure which way to rule on a diagnosis, and unable to refer the case to a more seasoned doctor, the students took a very modern approach to their problem: Snapping a photo of the results and of their sparse medicine cupboard, they shared the images with doctors all over the world to ask what their next step should be.

How, exactly, did these student’s smartphones hold the key to a patient’s wellness? Through a new app that’s been labelled the “instagram for doctors” called Figure 1.

The app, developed in Toronto, is estimated to be used by 1 in 3 North American med students. Dr. Josh Landy, one of the app’s co-developers, believes Figure 1 has the power to help patients receive consistent, higher-quality healthcare, be they with their family doctor in Ontario or with a nurse at a remote outlet.

“Specialized knowledge shouldn’t be beyond reach. [Figure 1 will] democratize the world of healthcare,” Landy says.  

The app’s idea was built upon a common practice of doctors snapping photos of unfamiliar cases – a puzzling rash, for example – and sending these images to colleagues for reference. But the problem was that images could get pushed to the bottom of your inbox – not exactly ideal when that rash needs to be cleared up. Landy says Figure 1 “delivers more value to what [doctors] are already doing.”

The app also address the issue of patient privacy. Developers worked extensively with healthcare lawyers in the countries where it has been released to ensure both patient privacy and medical user credibility. Faces are cropped from all shared photos and identifying marks such as tattoos and birthmarks are blurred or removed. In addition, Landy notes that while anyone can get a Figure 1 account, only verified medical professionals can upload images and comment on other’s photos.

“We have a strict no selfie policy,” Landy quips.

“The response we tend to get [from other medical professionals] is that they’ve been waiting for a tool like this,” says Landy, adding that aside from the benefits Figure 1 can bring to remote outposts, it can also be helpful for practicing critical care doctors who manage sick, complicated cases and who often have to share the file of one patient with various specialists and need an efficient way to do so.  

Perhaps the greatest benefit of all, however, is what Landy describes as a faster dissemination of medical knowledge. He states that new medical research can take up to seven years to be widely distributed in the field, but with Figure 1 it’s possible to slash that time by creating a way for medical professionals to stay in touch with the medical community at large and update one another on new findings.  

It’s all a matter of teaching the medical community to teach itself, explains Landy. As more users sign up for a Figure 1 account each day, the lessons to be learned can only grow.

Here’s hoping that patient care grows just as rapidly.

news@nowtoronto.com | @nowtoronto

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