Patients who are at high risk or require frequent blood testing probably find going to the lab or doctor office an inconvenience. Athelas, a Mountain View, California based company has announced a new technology which may be a real game changer. Their new product has been clinically validated for use in the patient’s home. The Athelas device looks like an Amazon Echo, and can accurately visualize almost all types of blood cells within 60 seconds.

There are three steps a patient must perform. First, prick a finger tip and place a drop of blood on a test strip, similar to what diabetics do for testing blood sugar. Second, insert the test strip into the Athelas device. The device uses computer imaging and produces lab-grade CBC (complete blood count) test results. The final step is to view the test results on an iPhone or Android phone. The results are shared electronically with the doctor.

The at-home testing is convenient for patients and of great interest to oncologists. The Athelas product is being tested by patients in close collaboration with the FDA. If the product becomes FDA approved, it will be game changer clinically and financially, and be a great convenience for patients who can benefit from accurate and low cost blood testing.

Read more about medical technologies in Health Attitude: Unraveling and Solving the Complexities of Healthcare.