Smartphone based ECGs: a clinical evaluation in adult psychiatric patients in Far North Queensland (EQUIP Study)

You may be aware either personally, or professionally of the electrocardiogram or ECG, which is used to measure various electrical properties of heart. In psychiatry, many of our medication uniquely affect the intrinsic timing of the heart's electrical system and its especially important to monitor these readings when commencing or changing mediations.

However, until recently, this level of community monitoring was difficult, especially in a region such as a far north Queensland where the sheer size and remoteness of the communities we serve often act as barriers to health care access and equity.

However, there is a new, game-changing, ultra-portable Bluetooth ECG device which is both medical grade and approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and FDA in the USA.

This new device delivers a digital six-lead ECG in just 30 seconds, without the need for invasive procedures, sticky dots or leads, and can be completed with the patient clothed. Its ultra-portable design measures only 10cm by 5cm which makes it easy to use in a variety of clinical settings and can be easily distributed to community teams!

What makes this device more compelling is that it only cost $300. We think this is a game-changing device and has the potential to revolutionise the way we deliver healthcare to rural and remote areas where access to traditional ECG machines and routine cardiac monitoring is limited and will deliver significantly improvements in the screening and detection of cardiovascular risk for psychiatric patients.