Frequently Asked Questions
No! However many of our customers do elect to purchase the accessory software that we offer.
There are several reasons why most customers purchase both the hardware and software licenses(either the PCP-SSP software or eMurmer software):
- The software provides a local loop back to the referring clinician (or presenter) that is with the patient so the referring clinician (or presenter) can hear the same sounds as the remote clinician. Hearing the stethoscope sounds enables the referring clinician (or presenter) to properly place the chest piece head on the patient.
- The software includes controls for different audio filtering options which provide much greater flexibility for the physician who wants to use the stethoscope in different clinical situations, i.e. heart, lungs, abdomen, carotids, vasculature, etc.
- The software provides automated mic switching as the means for the stethoscope audio stream to be completely isolated from the room audio mic. The stethoscope sounds are too important to mix with the room audio.
- With the software license purchase, we provide full tech support for the end users during normal business hours.
- Using off the shelf commercial software not intended for medical use to provide similar functionality to the software we offer may result in compliance issues. The stethoscopes we sell are Class II medical devices regulated by the FDA, and the FDA has issued the Policy for Device Software Functions and Mobile Medical Applications which identifies Software Functions that fall under it's regulatory purview.
These stethoscopes are plug and play devices that will appear on the computer or tablet they are connected to as additional microphone. They are compatible with any video conferencing solution that allows the user to select their audio input and that can have background noise suppression features disabled, which should be most platforms. Some video conferencing platforms however are not suitable for transmitting heart and lung sounds, regardless of what stethoscope is used.
It is important to be aware that most video conferencing platforms include background noise suppression or smart filtering or audio enhancement features that will need to be disabled in order to hear the stethoscope sound, as these will typically filter out or degrade the quality of the stethoscope sound.
As of 10/27/2023 we've tested the stethoscope with Zoom, WebEx, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Vsee. Note as new versions and features are released this may change.
Platform | Results |
Zoom | Compatible when configured correctly(High Fidelity Music Mode) |
WebEx | Compatible when configured correctly(Music Mode) |
VSee | Compatible |
Google Meet | Compatible but has poor sound quality especially for lung sounds (not recommended) |
Microsoft Teams | Not Compatible, includes a squelch feature that cannot be disabled that prevent heart and lung sounds from being heard. At one time Teams had a Music Mode that made it possible to hear the stethoscope sounds, however this seems to be unavailable in the current version, perhaps it will be restored in the future. |
There are several reasons we recommend a headset:
- For the patient side using the local speakers to playback the stethoscope sound may lead to audio feedback issues(a high pitch squeal due to sound from the stethoscope looping through the speakers and back into the stethoscope)
- Additionally on the remote side the heart sounds are very low frequency, many built in speakers simply lack the low frequency(bass) response to reproduce the heart sounds.
- Lastly the headset will usually help to isolate out background noise in the environment.
The Stethoscope plugs into the USB port on the computer, laptop or tablet. A video call is established between patient and provider and the audio from the stethoscope travels over the audio channel of the video conference program. The physician listens from within the video call using a headset.
Yes! We offer a 2 year limited warranty from the date of purchase.
Warranty text:
This product has been manufactured under the strictest quality standards and
has undergone a thorough final quality check before leaving the factory. We are
therefore pleased to be able to provide a warranty of 2 years from the date of
purchase on all defects, which can verifiably be shown to be due to material or
manufacturing faults. A warranty claim does not apply in the case of improper
handling. All defective parts of the product will be replaced or repaired free of
charge within the warranty period. This does not apply to wearing parts. A warranty
claim can only be granted if this warranty card has been completed and
stamped by the dealer and is enclosed with the product. Please remember that
all warranty claims must be made during the warranty period.
Not at all. Our customers love how simple this stethoscope is to use compared with some of the other options that are available. Once the patient side computer is it's just a matter of toggling to the stethoscope when needed.
Yes, the stethoscope is plug-and-play, so you can just plug it in and select it in your video conference settings.
This is one of the fastest growing use areas for the telemedicine cameras as hospitals and healthcare providers push care into the home, SNFs and assisted living facilities to reduce readmissions in the post-discharge settings.
The eMurmer software we offer is compatible with most brands of stethoscope including the ri-sonic PCP-USB, Thinklabs One, and the Littmann 3200
The PCP-SSP software is only compatible with the PCP-USB line of stethoscopes.
Yes, since the stethoscope appears as a microphone device on the computer laptop or tablet it is connect to, you can record auscultations with any recording software. We do however recommend using the eMurmer software for this purpose which allows for easy recording, annotation, and storage of auscultations that can be securely shared and accessed by other physicians via a secure HIPAA and GDPR compliant web platform. Schedule a demo of the eMurmer software.
The stethoscopes we offer are self contained and do not store any information on vendor servers or have any "dial home" features.
So long as you use a HIPAA compliant video conferencing platform, these devices will not compromise the compliance of the video appointment. All data transmitted is done so using the encryption scheme of the video conference platform and no data is ever transmitted to vendor servers. Accordingly, patient data is as secure as the telemedicine video platform being used and can only be recorded/stored by the physician using the system, who in the end, is responsible for the patient’s medical data set.
If you elect to purchase the eMurmer software this does rely on cloud services, which are HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Absolutely, this is something we do very frequently. Just Contact Us or Schedule Consultation and one of our sales engineers will get back with you to provide the assistance you need.
Once your order and payment are received, your shipment will be processed within 24-48 hours and usually shipped via FedEx Express 2-day delivery, so you should be able to order and receive your stethoscope products within a maximum of 3-5 business days. If you need it sooner than that, we can arrange FedEx overnight delivery for an additional charge.
We offer trials of these devices on a case by case basis, if you'd like to request a trial please Contact Us.
MobilDrTech, Inc. is a US based corporation, and we sell and ship primarily to customers in the United States, however we do have international customers as well. Shipments to other countries will considered on a case-by-case basis after review of import/export regulations for the specific country. Please Contact Us with any specific requests.
For a full comparison, see the Steth Comparison document(June 2020)